Guardians Paranormal Group
by AllianceXCross
Summary: When Hiccup gets curious about a camera in an abandoned building, he runs into some big trouble. Now, he must work under a young, narcissistic and handsome boss of the paranormal group. But, little does he know, Hiccup has more connections to the other world than he would like to admit.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Pre-Notes:** Welcome to my latest Hiccup and Jack installment! I have been mulling over ideas for this since my last fanfic with this couple. I've had a couple of decent ones, but none that intrigued me as much as this one! I wanted to write something a little different.

I love the idea of a paranormal romance - because of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Plus, I've always loved Ghost hunt. So I thought I would combine some worlds and create something pretty unique in the terms of a Hiccup and Jack fanfic.

Ps. You will find in my fanfics, when I talk about Jack in the modern day era, I like to refer to his hair as being blonde (pale blonde) instead of white. So, imagine it's white if you want, but I just prefer to work with him being a blonde.

^.^

I don't believe that everything good that happens to you, happens in High School. Because, if so, I had the short end of the stick.

I wasn't popular. I've never dated, only had a couple friends, and you could say that I wasn't the quarterback for our school football team. Plus, coming from a tragic background - you can imagine the whispers I've had to endure the moment I turn my back.

But, to be honest, I was just a nobody. At least, that's what high school portrayed me as. And, until I was graduated, I could be okay with that. It gave me an excuse to hide from the demons of my past.

I was walking to school, I lived in a small suburban neighborhood. Going to school from this way, the walkways were paved and lined with rows of tall, skinny trees. This part of the town was also lined with abandoned houses and buildings. I preferred taking this way to school - it gave me that chance to just listen to my music. Plus, with all the old houses, I felt like I was in a different time.

One of the old buildings, which could have been an old bookstore or convenience store, caught my attention. I strayed from my path and took a peek inside the dusty windows.

And I saw a camera.

I found it strange, what was a camera doing all the way out here? Glancing around, I confirmed there was no one here.

Curiosity had me pulling open the door, surprised to find it was unlocked. I took out my headphones and whistled in a low tone at the camera. It was an impressive piece of equipment. I couldn't believe someone would just leave it out in the open like this.

Then I saw it recording. Again, I looked at it, closer. A label scrawled along the side of it.

' _GUARDIANS PARANORMAL GROUP'_

Paranormal? Ah, that made sense. There was some kind of paranormal investigation happening here. Slowly, I backed away from the camera when I heard a loud knocking sound.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

Three knocks in total, that sounded as if it were metal on metal.

"Hello?" I glanced around the small, open store front. My heart began hammering in my chest as a cold blast of wind hit my neck. I jumped and stumbled back into a bookcase.

"No!" I exclaimed when it bumped backwards, then forwards and began to fall in my direction. Protectively, I put my hands in front of my head and readied myself for the impact.

There was a loud crashing sound when someone had grabbed my arm, pulling me sideways. My head jerked back, and I felt a painful snap in my neck. Then I stumbled forward, falling on top of someone.

"You idiot!" The woman from under me grunted, and I scrambled up. She had fiery red hair combed back into a ponytail paired with beautiful blue eyes.

"I-I'm sorry." I said, helping her up. She grumbled some more, stalking over to the book case, now in pieces from the impact on the ground. I realized the camera was gone too.

"Oh, shit. I am so sorry. I can pay for that -" I rushed over to help her pull the expensive camera from the rubble.

She pushed my hands away, "don't bother."

I put my hands down, guilt rising in my stomach, I thought I would vomit. I had no idea how much the camera actually cost and by the looks of it, they would need a brand new one. I didn't even know if I had ever seen the amount of money it would cost to buy one.

The girl whipped out a cell phone, punched in a number, and held it up to her ear.

"Hey, it's Merida. We have a situation at the shop. Uh-huh. Okay." She hung up and those fierce blue eyes were on me. I gulped, my heart hammering in my chest and I hoped that I wouldn't get sick in front of her.

"What's your name?"

"H-Haddock," I didn't feel the need to say that most of the people who knew me called me Hiccup.

"I'm going to need your contact information. You go to the High School around here?" She pushed her phone in front of me and my name was already typed in the ' _new contact'_ section of it. Quickly, I inputted my phone number, then called it.

"Yes. A-are you going to hunt me down or something?" I took out my own phone, to show her that my number was indeed correct, as her phone number flashed across my screen.

"Just go to school. You'll be getting a call from my boss about the bill for this." She started picking up the pieces of rubble and sorting through it.

I didn't waste anytime in getting out of there. As soon as I was out of the building, I ran the rest of the way to school.

Or at least I tried too. I was often mistook for being athletic. I had bigger shoulders and a lean body, but I didn't play sports or workout religiously. I had an low endurance and even worst balance.

After a couple of blocks, I had to stop and give my lungs a break. They were working so hard, it felt like they were bleeding.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

I heard the sound of metal on metal again, and glanced around the secluded area. I was standing by the park just near the abandoned school. If I cut through this field, I would be at the field of my own school.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

My heart was hammering in my chest and wanted to take off towards school again. But I had the urge to glance behind me. And maybe it was the exhaustion playing tricks on me, or stress, but when I looked back I wasn't prepared to see what I had.

I saw a silhouette of a large, tall, shadowy figure.

This time, I truly ran from fear.

^.^

I felt safe at school. For the first time in my life, but the my nerves were still on fire from the encounter this morning. What I saw back there - I didn't even want to remember it.

I had only felt true fear once before.

That was after my mom died.

It was after her funeral to be exact, I was still in elementary school. She passed away from cancer and it crippled my Father and I.

But after some time, I started seeing her again in our old house. She would come to me in my dreams. And they weren't ordinary dreams, but it was like I stepped out of my body for those moments and went with her wherever she wanted me to.

Those dreams had given me hope that she didn't truly leave us behind. I looked forward to them; so she could stroke my hair and tell me how much she missed us. Like how we missed her.

After numerous visits, she had began to change. She became angry and fed off the fear of my father when she would move things around the house. She would make doors slam and turn lights off. Every night, she began haunting the home, driving my father mad.

He grew more and more unstable. Soon, mom stopped visiting my dreams and started tormenting my father instead. He was soon fired from his job and had to stay home more. I remember those years, remembered them as if they were yesterday. Everyday, I would come home and everyday dad would be sitting in the living room - bags under his eyes and muttering nonsense.

Those years were hell. Absolute hell, if it existed. The haunting never went away, they only worsened. At school, no one took me seriously when I said that we were being haunted by a ghost. I instead, got teased and nicknamed. My dad was even more so. Being a full grown man - he was scrutinized worst than I could ever imagine.

But, it all took a toll on my dad. He began not being able to sleep due to nightmares, stopped eating due to fear of being poisoned, stopped caring. And eventually, he just stopped living.

After years of haunting's, he put a gun to his head and decided it was easier to end it all than to live.

I knew true fear then; at how close death was to me. I could almost reach my hand out and touch that other world - almost feel it wrap around me. I lived with a childhood friend after the social system didn't know what to do with me. They feared I would turn out like my dad.

And to be honest, I feared the same sometimes. I moved in with a family friend, the Hofferson's. Astrid was their daughter and I grew up with her. She was like a sister to me.

I pushed out the dark thoughts of my past as I moved my way through the crowded hallways to my locker.

"Running a little late today? I told you not to eat that extra round of bagels." Astrid strode up to my locker, it was the end of our first period class, math. She often made fun of my eating habits.

"It wasn't the bagal. I did something, Astrid. Something bad." I closed my locker, looking into her pale blue eyes. Her eyebrows knitted together.

"Oh no, Hiccup. What did you do this time?"

"It's just - oh shit, I need to take this." I looked frantically at my cell phone at the unknown number that flashed across it. She gave me a exasperated sound and I took off down the wing of the hall - to get some privacy. I decided the empty stairwell was the best place for this conversation.

"H-Hello?"

"Haddock?" A male voice said through the phone.

"Yes, this is he."

"My name is Jack. My assistant, Merida, gave me this number to contact you about the camera." He was very businesslike - but sounded young.

"Y-yes. I am so sorry about that. I will pay for it to be fixed or whatever you need."

"I'm afraid we can't fix this one. I will need to purchase new equipment. And, by the sounds of it, I can assume you're only in high school. I doubt you can afford a new camera." His voice was condescending and I glared. He didn't have to be so rude.

"Well, how much is this thing? I might be able to pull some money together."

"That particular piece was about nineteen thousand dollars," he chuckled and said. "Can you still afford it?"

My mouth was hanging open. Nineteen thousand - that was as much as… well I didn't even know! I had never encountered so much money before. I closed my mouth and swallowed.

"I-I can make payments. I swear, I'll pay it all off."

"Here, I'll tell you what. Come by my office today after you're done school and we can discuss this a little more personally. I have an office in the city, currently."

"Okay, I can be there at four." I took into the account that I didn't drive to school. I would have to go home and see if I could borrow the car. Astrid, her parents and I had to share two cars. And most of the time, her parents got to use them first.

"Alright. I'll have Merida text you the address. See you then." He hung up.

I sighed loudly, running my hands through my hair. Frustration filled my mind. How could I be so stupid! I clenched my teeth and that sickening feeling returned, roiling in my gut.

Dammit this really sucked.

^.^

In the end, I decided that I didn't want to tell Astrid what happened. So I made up some excuse that I lost track of time at the old park.

She believed it - I guess me being distracted is easily believable. But at least she didn't ask anymore questions. And, luck was on my side when I heard she had taken on of the cars to school already.

"Do you think I can borrow the car when we get home?" I said as we put our packs in the back seat. "I have a job interview in the city."

"Is that what the call was about, earlier?" She slid into the driver side and we buckled up when she started the engine. It was a 2007 Toyota Corolla and it still ran like new. The engine purred to life and we began weaving our way out of the crowded parking lot.

"Yep. I have a good feeling about it. So, what do you think?" I asked again.

She pursed her lips, "hm. Yeah, I guess. I have practice tonight though, but maybe Snotlout could pick me up."

Snotlout, her boyfriend, was on the school football team. Astrid was on the basketball team.

"Thanks, Astrid."

"No problem. Will you be home for dinner?"

"I'm not sure. I'll text you though." I said.

The rest of the ride home was relatively quiet. One good thing about living with the Hofferson's were that, after the incident, they never questioned it. They never tried to pry or get more information from me. It let me give their family a ton of respect. They also treated me as if I was their son and accepted me into the family right away.

When we pulled up to the house, it was already a quarter past three. I loved Astrid like a sister and all, but she drove super defensively. And it would take about forty five minutes to get into the city. Keeping up with my lie, I pretended to shower quickly and change into something more appropriate for an 'interview'.

A pair of black dress pants and a pale green polo. Astrid and her parents wished me luck, giving me a hug and then I was out the door. I pulled out the text from Merida, put the address into the GPS and then I was off, not too sure what to expect.

^.^

I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen. Maybe, it wasn't a paranormal group at all. Maybe it was some gang initiation and I was the poor victim who the guy had to kill.

I tried to calm my frantic mind and when I pulled up to the lease space, I was surprised to find it was just out of the city. The office was only office being leased on this little square and there was a uneasy feeling in my gut. I felt a bit better seeing another car in the parking lot, a large white SUV.

' _Stay calm. Stay calm._ ' I coached myself as I started walking towards the glass office. I pushed on the door and found that it was locked. So, I pushed the doorbell and waited.

Inside, I saw Merida stroll to the door and unlock it. She was still wearing what I saw her in this morning - a green pair of skinny jeans and a white shirt. Her hair was tied back and now she was wearing a pair of large framed glasses.

"Hello, Haddock." She greeted me. She sounded much more friendlier now, and I now noticed the thick accent. But, then again, I had met her when I broke an allegedly nineteen thousand dollar camera. I wouldn't be too forthcoming either.

"You can call me Hiccup." I stepped into the space and she re-locked the door. There was a large desk, a reception desk, to the left. Down the hall, there were a number of doors that I assumed where offices. One large room looked like a meeting space. On my right, there were a set of stairs.

Merida began to climb the stairs, and I followed closely behind her. She didn't say a word the rest of the way up and on the upper floor there was another, even bigger, meeting room. More offices lined the rest of the hallway. I wondered how many people worked here.

She stopped directly in front of the largest of the offices, knocking briskly.

"Come in." the male voice said from the other side. Merida opened the door and gestured me in. She didn't follow me in though and closed the door sharply behind me.

I flinched and looked back. Not sure what to do. This office was huge and an entire wall was just windows. The natural light seemed fitting for the dark office furniture.

"Ah, the camera breaker. Please, have a seat." The male said. He turned from his computer and gave me a sly smile.

He was young had light blonde hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen. He must have been no older than me. And he was somehow, the boss of this place? There was no way.

He was dressed in a black suit jacket and a grey dress shirt. His hair was perfectly styled to look messy and he folded his hands on top of the deep oak desk.

"So, let's get down to business. I'll be frank, you can't afford to buy a new camera." Jack said as I sat down on the satin cushioned chair.

I bit down on my lip and nodded, feeling a flush crawl over my skin.

"Since you can't afford to pay it back, there's only one solution. You can work for me to pay off the difference."

I almost laughed. Maybe it wasn't a bad lie to say I was coming to the city for a job interview.

"I think I'm under qualified. I have no experience in the - uh, paranormal," I confessed.

Jack leaned back in his chair. "No need. You can do the basic things, like setting up equipment, filling out papers. I assume you have some literacy in writing?" He gave a feline smile with that condescending voice again. He tapped the only stack of papers sitting on the desk in front of us.

I scowled, "Yes. I'm not that stupid."

"Great. I have some papers you can read through, negotiating terms, things like that. Read through them and let me know if you have any questions." He pushed a button on the side of his desk and Merida opened the door again. Jack turned to his computer and began typing again, a silent dismissal.

I stood up with the papers in my hand and followed Merida out. She lead me to the large meeting room and gave me a pen and a cup of water.

"Let me know if you need anything else." She said and closed the double antique french doors.

I read the first line and immediately regretting ever getting myself into this situation.

'Terms of Employment.'

Oh, Lord. What did I get myself into?

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

So this is a little of a slower start, but I hope the story line is intriguing!

I will be updating every week! I'm super happy to start another, longer, project.

Please review, rate, follow...ALL OF IT!

Thanks!

Truly, Cassie.


	2. Chapter 2 - Spirits

After I finished the papers, I was told I started 'work' tomorrow. Jack sure didn't waste anytime in the process, and I before I left, Merida informed me that I would be starting after school at three

I would stay for a couple of hours every night.

It's not like I could have had a life, or anything, they just assumed I could put everything on hold. Or, maybe I just looked like that kind of person.

When I was finally done at the office, Merida saw me out.

That was that.

Jack didn't even so much as say 'welcome to the team.'

I didn't care - or at least tried not to care. But it bothered me that he was so young and so successful. I couldn't wrap my brain around how he was so lucky in life.

When I got home, I told my parents that I got the job.

"Will you be traveling to and from the city?" Mrs. Hofferson asked. Her name was Heather but I felt odd calling her from her given name.

All of them, even Astrid, were sitting on the couch, engrossed in a movie they found on t.v.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "Right now, they are doing work here. So I'm sure I won't need the car."

Everyone nodded in unison. "Congratulations, love. There's dinner on the stove if you're hungry." Mrs. Hofferson said and they turned back to the t.v.. Astrid patted a spot beside her on the couch but I declined politely, shook my head, then made the 'I'm tired' gesture with my hands. She pouted but didn't seem to mind that I slipped upstairs right after.

I was anxious still. I wouldn't tell them why I had to work - or that I was working with no pay. But, I considered, maybe it wouldn't be the worst experience. I would have had to find a job sooner or later. This could give me a push in the right direction.

We'll just have to wait and see, I thought, as I took a shower and made my way to bed.

^.^

Merida text me the following morning. I decided it was best to leave school with Astrid instead of going my shortcut way to see my new 'coworkers'.

 _'We'll be at the shop where you broke the camera. Your first task: be on time.'_

She was a lovely girl, I thought sarcastically to myself. And, just how long were they going to keep me on the hook for breaking the camera? Okay, I may have deserved it. In spite of myself, I chuckled thinking of her personality, just like her untamed hair, she was fiery. I found it kind of funny that Jack somehow had her personality under control - she seemed like she could be more outspoken and stubborn than him.

But then again, he was the boss.

Curiously, I looked up his company during my first class. Math was easy to me - well, most academics were easy for me. But, math and science, particularly so.

The only things I found on Guardians Paranormal Group was that it was a private company. Well, with a boss as young as Jack, duh.

It was originally his grandfathers company back in the 80's. It was established in the United States, in Michigan, where the family was from but they ended up moving to the United Kingdom.

Why they wanted to be here, I couldn't place it. Maybe we had a bigger history for paranormal investments than anywhere else.

I decided it wasn't important. The important thing is that, no where could I find any accounts of Jack. Or his family history. I found that strange - even my own dark history was on the Internet.

School was a good distraction. But, once the day passed on I began to dread having to go to pay my debt.

"Need a ride to work?" Astrid asked as we walked outside. It was a pretty decent day for spring on this side of the world.

"No. Right now, they have me training locally in town." That wasn't really a lie. "But could you take my pack home?" I handed it to her and she made a face.

"Jeez Hiccup, I've told you, you don't need the whole library in here." She laughed and nudged me with her elbow. Then, her eyes brightened up as she waved to Snotlout behind me.

"Okay, see you tonight." I said as she waved me off and embraced her boyfriend.

I took a deep breathe, a little hesitant to return to the spot where I saw the figure. I didn't want to think about it, but now that I was alone, it was always on my mind. Just on the boarder of it - like that darkness that I forever kept on the inside.

I wondered if they ever found real ghosts. All the paranormal shows I've ever watched seemed staged or they had claims that the evidence was fake. Jacks' business wasn't going around making television shows, but I deeply wondered if I would have to witness anything like them faking evidence.

I mean, I did have to sign a confidentiality disclosure. There was obviously something I couldn't tell people.

^.^

When I made it to the shop, I saw that large white SUV parked just in front of the door this time. Poking my head in, I saw the back of it was completely gutted and transformed into a storage of sorts. There were cabinets and wires and shelves, all conveniently placed to grab, pull and place.

"Ya' made it," Merida said. She was just wrapping up some electrical cord around her arm and slung it over her shoulder. Her thick, Scottish accent wrapped around the small area. It seemed more pronounced than the last time I had seen her.

"Yep. So, uh, what do you need me to do?" I looked around. Merida reached into the back of the SUV, tucking the cord into a compartment within the shelving units. She grabbed a clipboard and pulled a pen out of her back poker of her jeans. She was also wearing a tight fitting beige cardigan with a black leather jacket.

I took it, the dress code for here was pretty causal. So I didn't feel out of place with my own denim jeans and a forest-green polo.

"We're just packin' up right now. We'll be taking in all the equipment from each of these store fronts. Your job will be pretty simple," Merida tucked the pen behind her ear and we heard another voice from within the building.

"Ah, who's this?" A strongly accented man said. He was large and tall and roughly handsome; with longer, dark brown hair pulled back into a ponytail on his nape. His arms and shoulders were a canvas for the various amounts of ink that swirled over his tanned skin. I couldn't place his accent, however, but it was definitely not from here.

Merida made the introductions brief, "Bunny, this is Haddock."

"Hiccup is fine." I repeated after and lifted my hand in a sort of friendly wave. The man looked at me, he had hazel eyes with flecks of green and a strongly accentuated jaw. If I didn't know any better, you would think he was an athlete with his strong build. I knew I shouldn't scrutinize names - hell, mine was Hiccup - but I wondered a loud.

"Why is your name, 'Bunny'?"

He grinned and Merida rolled her eyes, "here we go."

"Well, because of this guy." He lifted his T-shirt sleeve and presented a swirl of tattoos. "He's the nations greatest icon - the Kangaroo. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the right mind to get be gettin' one of these done and instead of sayin' 'Kangaroo' I said 'Australian Rabbit.'" He and Merida laughed out loud.

"So, you can imagine what he thought. The poor bloke drew up this horrendous thing and I haven't been able to outlive the nick name." I could see it now, it was his shoulder piece and wasn't a terrible tattoo - but you can definitely see that it was suppose to be a rabbit of some sort. He had extra long ears and extra tall back legs. Like a cross between a rabbit and a Kangaroo. The tattoo also had what looked like ancestral markings over his fur. It actually kind of looked cool.

"Lemme guess; you're the camera breaker?" He said in that thick accent. I sighed. Just like he couldn't outlive his fate - I couldn't outlive mine.

"He's here to pay off his debt. Something Jack shouldda' had you do, since your skills are latent here," Merida snorted. Bunny crossed his arms.

"You know what? There's something here, lil' Red. It's just messing with us," Bunny huffed.

"I don't even know what Jack pays you for," Merida grinned at him, but the large man was fuming.

"What do you do here, Bunny?" I asked, both looked at me then and Bunny uncrossed his arms, whatever argument they were having, must be one that they had on a regular basis.

"I'm a monk," He said and I felt my eyebrows drop in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry. I thought monks were suppose to, well, live on a mountain. And have no hair - or tattoos," I said and Merida laughed out loud.

"See! Anyone can tell you're not a real Monk," she laughed as he turned on her again.

"You know what, Red? I put in my years for monkhood and brought the practice to Australia, all before you were being swaddled," He said, grinning.

It seemed like their banter was usually taken lightheartedly. As well as his job title, I tried to hide my amused grin as I continued watching the two of them.

"Uh-huh, okay, old man." Merida rolled her eyes, snickering and we heard a car pull up. It was a sleek black Mercedes with tinted windows, which seemed out of place on this old, abandoned strip of town.

Bunny waved to the driver and continued back inside the abandoned building. Merida continued to look through the clipboard.

Jack stepped out from the driver seat. Of course it was him - he looked polished, like yesterday. He was in a tailored dark tunic and pants, a dark blue button down shirt now graced his lean build. It contrasted from his pale skin and light hair.

But that shirt did a number on his eyes. They were on me the moment he left the car, paired with a permanent feline smile tugging at his lips.

"How're things going down here? I thought I'd see how our new recruit is doing." He stepped over to us, hands in his pockets. The perfect picture of arrogance and calm. Of power and poise. I kind of hated it. But I couldn't take my eyes off him. And I think he knew it too, but for a guy, he was very handsome.

"Good. He'll be doing inventory for now. As for tomorrow, since we'll be in there for the lock down, maybe he can learn some of the camera operations," Merida didn't even look up from her clipboard as she spoke, but as if she forgot something, she glanced at her boss.

"Hey, where's Zel?" She asked, looking back at the fancy car.

Jack pulled his gaze away from me and I finally felt like I could breathe again. "That's another reason I came. I'll be picking her up from the airport, she just arrived."

Merida nodded and those piercing blue eyes were back on me, "how're you liking things so far, Hic?"

My heart fluttered a little bit at the nickname. I wasn't sure if I liked it or if it was very intimate. With the smoldering of his eyes, it felt more like the latter.

"Uh, good. I haven't really done this kind of stuff before."

"You mean, working?" Jack chuckled.

"No." I scowled, "I mean, this whole paranormal thing."

"You'll get use to it." His laugh had an effect on me. It stirred at the confusion within me - it sounded husky and soft as silk. Soon, it diffused, but that grin remained until he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and looked back to Merida.

"Make sure he understands everything. Next week, I want him at the office with Anna."

Merida gave a salute gesture and he turned on his heels, back towards the car.

When he opened the door, she shouted out, "oh, have a nice dinner date tonight, you better treat her nice!" Jack flashed her a mischievous grin.

Without another word, he was in the car and backing out of the small street. I felt like a weight had been lifted and slouched over, not sure why I was standing so straight.

"So, what's his story?" I nodded towards the retreating car.

"Who? Jack? Oh, his dad owned the company and he wanted to keep it in the family business."

"That must take a lot of time. How does he go to school?" I was confused. He looked like he could be my age.

"Jack isn't in school anymore, at least not high school. His grandfather owns a private University and his father is a professor, he was home schooled. He finished high school at fifteen and finished university at eighteen."

My jaw almost fell to the floor. Some kind of boy genius? I didn't know that was possible.

"He's just finishing up his doctorate now, I believe." She pursed her lips.

"H-he's my age though, isn't he?" I exclaimed. I was seventeen - turning eighteen - in the next couple months. Because of the happenings with my parents, I was pulled out of school for a year to go through therapy.

"No, he's twenty three now," she then stepped over to me and showed me the clipboard. Conversation over.

"Okay. So, this is the inventory of our equipment. All the cameras are labeled and have a serial number, same with the cords. Your job, is to make sure we have all the matching cameras and serial numbers, put them in the matching charging units and sign off."

She pulled her pen out from behind her ear and began to scribble out one of the serial numbers, "Oh, we're short one of these night vision cameras. So until we get a new one, just note it on the sheet."

Another broken camera jab. I scowled and took the clipboard from her. "Okay, so just write down all the numbers?" I confirmed and she nodded.

"Why do you take them all out at the end of the day?" I asked before she left.

"We usually don't. But, because this place is on the verge of falling apart, we have to take precaution. And, as you know, this equipment is quite expensive."

Without anymore conversation, she returned back into the abandoned building and I was left alone to inventory the electronics to pout.

^.^

They had a pretty impressive amount of equipment - in fact, for just a small, privately run company, this was very professional.

Merida and Bunny kept bringing out more and more equipment. And it reminded me of something Merida had brought up earlier.

"So, you think there are ghosts here?" I said as she handed me another, smaller, camera.

"Well, I don't sense anything. And he did a full sweep this afternoon. So, really, if Zel can't pick up anything either, it's probably just the owners imagination."

"Who is Zel?" I recall her mentioning this woman earlier. The woman who would be accompanying Jack on some kind of date... Perhaps they were lovers.

"Rapunzel is a renowned clairvoyant and medium. Jack will sometimes contract her for specific projects." Bunny said in his heavily accented voice, now joining us with the last of the cords. I handed the clipboard to Merida who was beckoning for it.

"And, by the way, Red - there is something here. It's just blocking all of us."

She smirked, readying another quick comment before I interrupted again.

"If you don't mind," I interrupted, "What do you do?"

Now, Bunny grinned, crossing his heavily tattooed arms. "Go ahead, tell him how useful you are on these trips."

She sighed deeply, "I've descend from the line of Scottish priestess's called the Nine Maidens. We have practiced an ancient kind of exorcism and psychokinesis."

"You have powers?"

"I can summon spirits that are called Da'a to aid me, or simply help lost spirits find the light." She said

Bunny snorted, "but she mostly just makes herbs and potions for voodoo lessons - ow!" He complained as Merida smacked him in the arm and the two began bickering again.

I've actually heard of the Nine Maidens, and if she truly was a decedent, than she would be very powerful, plus all that knowledge that the Priestess's had... Yes, I could tell she was probably the most dynamic worker on this team. No offense to Bunny.

So far, Jack had an Australian monk, a Scottish priestess, a clairvoyant medium...

"What does Jack do?" I turned back to Merida, who looked up from the clipboard she was double checking.

"Well, we can't really say - maybe giving orders and being one hell of a researcher might give him credit," Merida grinned.

"Every case he's gotten, he's found a way to either debunk it or completely exorcise it," Bunny added. "The kid has natural born talent for sniffing out bullshit."

"Bunny!" Merida hit him with the clipboard and Bunny howled out loud.

"Jesus, Red!" He yelped while Merida and I started laughing.

For some reason, I could see myself getting quite comfortable with these two.

After laughing and bantering with Bunny some more, I helped Merida close the doors on the SUV.

"Good work today, Hiccup. Tomorrow is our last day at this place, so meet back here at three thirty." She locked up the abandoned shop and walked around to the front driver seat of the SUV. After a moment of arguing with Bunny about who was a better driver, she called me over to the driver side window.

"Do you need a ride?" She pulled on a pair of retro sunglasses - I could see my reflection in them and shook my head.

"I live close by, thanks anyways." Her and Bunny waved and I watched as the SUV pulled out of the small sidewalk and drive into the distance.

Curiously, before I left, I looked up Rapunzel. Instantly, there were pictures and articles about her on the internet. And she was very attractive - she had large, green eyes, long blonde hair and a lean body.

I clicked on a link that should have taken me to an article - but then my phone went black.

Confused, I held the home button and the dead battery icon showed up.

"What the hell," I cursed out loud. My battery was nearly full a moment ago.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

My body froze. Even my breathing hitched in my lungs as the metal on metal sound shook through my body. I closed my eyes, willing my heart to slow down. It's just my imagination - just in my head.

I willed my body to move forward - but fear glued me to the ground.

 _"Look at me."_ A dark and cruel voice whispered. I didn't want to - but I didn't have the will power to deny it. Slowly, I turned.

I kept my eyes on the ground, but I felt it. I felt it around me. The cold and heavy air that began to push down on me.

 _"Look at me."_ The dark voice hissed again. It wasn't entirely human - not entirely from this world.

My reluctant eyes tore their gaze from the ground and I held my breath.

In the window of the dark store, the owner of the voice stood. And I remembered him.

He was a mass of shadows and darkness. But, those penetrating red eyes cut through the night. He had rotten teeth and was grinning at me - his body now materializing from the darkness and it was as horrible as it smelt.

Rotting flesh wafted through the air; his twisted and mutated limbs just barley visible. A spindly hand reached out and I took a step back. And another.

He grinned, exposing more rotten teeth - exposing his torn cheek.

 _This isn't real. This isn't real._ I coached myself. My heart was beating so hard, I felt it in my head, pounding so loudly it felt like someone was cracking open my skull with a hammer.

The deformed body passed through the glass, his chuckle was something purely demonic.

And then I started screaming and screaming.

^.^

 **Authors Note:**

So, this was an interesting chapter to write! There's some important background information that needed to be introduced. As well as the characters.

Honestly, writing Bunny as a human was hard and difficult to think of. I wanted to keep his body looking like Hugh's but I also wanted his hair to be longer to truly show his 'Australian' heritage.

Let me know what you think! Please, review, follow and see you in the next chapter :)


	3. Chapter 3 - Iron Gates

There was a screeching sound. It sounded like tires but I was blinded by the fear of that disformed figure, I didn't bother to

I didn't want to take my eyes off it. Because at any moment, I could feel those bony hands grab me and pull me into the darkness with it. All around me, I could feel it spreading, pulling and testing my skin - to see where I was weak. It seeped into my pores and I knew if that thing touched me, I would become the darkness too.

Car lights illuminated us and the dark voice growled viciously that it burned into my memory.

"Hiccup!" Merida shouted. Bunny jumped out of the passenger seat and ran over to me.

"I-It's there!" my hands were shaking as I pointed inside the dark building. Bunny ran to the glass, pressing his palms against it. He peered inside and when nothing happened, came to my side.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now." Bunny put a large hand on my shoulder. I didn't realize that I was still shaking until I felt his steady grip.

I tried to get my senses together. But, I couldn't get that face out of my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was so close to being dragged out of the light. I was so close to never being able to see this world again...

"Bunny," Merida called from the driver side window. "Get him in the van, we'll take him home."

"No." I gasped. I couldn't go home. I felt that darkness enveloping me - like it could follow me wherever it wanted. No, I couldn't bring that home.

"Get him in the car." She ordered. Bunny looked down at me.

"Come on, mate. We'll get you somewhere safe."

I almost choked at the words. Safe.

How was I supposed to feel safe? That thing could be watching me - how long it has watched me, I would never know. That wasn't just a ghost. That wasn't even my imagination.

That was real.

^.^

"Hey, it's me. Look, we had a run in at the shop. Can you come to the office? Uh-huh. Okay." She hung up her phone and walked over to me. We were sitting in the fully lit office on the main floor. In the meeting room, Bunny had made tea and was sitting across from me.

"Jack is on his way. He'll want to know what happened." Merida said simply and took a seat beside me, sighing.

"How did you know to come back?" I was staring at the floor. A part of me felt dead. Like I didn't know if I belonged on this earth anymore. I only remember feeling like this back then - during the years of our haunting and during the years to follow.

"Bunny suggested that we couldn't just let you walk home because it was getting late. We just happen to be coming back when we saw you," Merida said.

I didn't want to think about what would have happened if they didn't show up. That thing, it passed through the glass and I could almost feel it's breathe…

"Stop thinking about it." Bunny warned and I looked up at him.

"Don't open your mind to it." Merida chimed in, "the type of ghosts that can manifest themselves to humans are very strong and very dangerous."

"You saw it?" My voice was barely a whisper. Bunny's face hardened and he looked down, shaking his head.

"I didn't see it. We only saw you in the middle of the street and thought something had happened, like someone was with you," Bunny said.

"Oh."

I stopped talking after. Not wanting to relive anymore memories of the face.

Bunny and Merida talked quietly to themselves. Which was fine for me, and for once, they weren't bickering or arguing.

We all heard the door unlock then, and shoes walking down the hall until Jack stood in the doorway. He was still dressed in his black ensemble, his hair perfectly disheveled and those blue eyes took in the office.

"What happened?" He said, hands back in his pockets as he approached us.

Quieter footsteps echoed behind him and Zel appeared beside Jack. Together, they looked like something only a magazine cover could have created. She wore a short, dark blue dress and her hair was left in waves to fall over her shoulders. I suddenly wondered, since she was clairvoyant, if she could get a read into my head. Her eyes were kind and bright, they stayed on me for a couple more seconds before she turned to Merida, who began speaking.

"Hiccup said he saw something in the shop. Both Bunny and I couldn't sense anything at all today, though."

"Tell him what ya' saw, mate." Bunny said, gently.

"No. He doesn't have to." Jack said immediately, "did you two see anything?"

They both shook their head in unison and Jack looked down at Zel. Her hands touched his arm.

"Perhaps, the owners claims are right," Zel spoke. Her voice was so soft and feminine.

"Perhaps," Jack said too. "If you two didn't see anything, then there's nothing to report. Merida, can you take Rapunzel back to the hotel?"

"S-sure," She looked at Zel and then back at Bunny. "Let's go, then." With some final waves, both of the ladies left.

Bunny stood up too, "I'm gonna hit the road too." He gave me a soft smile and waved. I didn't feel like waving back but I nodded.

And now there was only Jack and I.

He walked over to the spot Merida had beside me and with his hands on his knees, took a seat.

"If it makes you feel any better, you can take tomorrow off," Jack said quietly. I nodded again.

My first real day of work and I already couldn't handle it.

"I should get home," I said after a couple more moments of silence.

"Sure, I'll drive you."

I didn't want to protest - I didn't want to say anything. All I wanted to was to be left alone.

But then, another part of me begged for someone - anyone - not to leave me alone anymore. I didn't want to be left alone anymore.

I decided to wait outside as Jack locked up and armed the office before we got into the car. It smelt like the fine leather of the seats and he pushed the start button, I didn't even hear the engine purr to life.

"Where do you live?"

"Berk."

He typed it into the GPS on the dash screen and then pulled out of the driveway. The car drove smoothly and I watched absentmindedly at the passing lights of the city.

"Out with it," Jack said and I lifted a brow.

"You say one thing that's on your mind - just one thing. And I'll say one too." He said in the darkness. We were just starting to get on the highway and had another half an hour before we got close to Berk.

"I really don't want to," I continued staring out the window.

"I'm thinking, that I spent years trying to figure out the mystery of the dead that I've forgotten about the living. I'm thinking that, you shouldn't have had to see what you did, and that it should have been me. I'm thinking that, when I look at you, I want to help you." Jack's words were quiet, and I wondered if they were words he had ever spoken to someone else. His eyes were fully focused on the road but, briefly, he glanced at me.

"Why did you decide to do this kind of work?" I asked, but he clicked his tongue at me.

"This was a 'no-questions' invitation. I told you...three things. Just tell me one."

I stared out the window again. Maybe, it was the piece of me that could actually still feel, or it was a tiny shred of courage that I had left.

Or, maybe it was the feeling of being surrounded by the darkness of the unlit highway, and still, I had not submitted to it. Maybe, I would never have to.

There was something about Jack... I had a feeling he had more walls around him than anyone I've ever met.

Quietly, I said. "I'm thinking that maybe it was my fault. I'm thinking that I am the darkness that brought my mom back to my father and I was the cause of her finding him. That maybe, if I didn't lead her back, he would still be here. I'm thinking that, if I had more courage I would have done what he did and ended it. I'm thinking that a part of me died when they died - and now those parts of me belong to that side and I can never be whole..." The words became choked. I shook my head, as if to clear my thoughts; as if to clear the remaining words away. But I still spoke them.

"I'm thinking that, what I saw tonight knew I belonged there and was ready to drag me back into that darkness."

I inhaled deeply, my lungs cried out when I did and I hadn't realized, through that whole thing I was holding my breathe.

There. The dark and dangerous secrets that nobody knew - not even Astrid. It was selfish after everything the Hofferson's had done for me, I've never truly been able to open up to them. To share with them my pain that I still feel, that darkness that I felt. I realized, I was more afraid of that darkness - of someone knowing that it had actually existed within me.

Maybe, everyone was right. I was something dangerous and I should have been kept behind bars. I was always running - running from those demons of my past. Running from those who told me I was crazy. I've been running for so long, that I have finally hit a wall and now, with nowhere to run, I longed to keep running.

I didn't realize we had pulled over.

Jack leaned towards me. One hand remained on the wheel but his eyes were illuminated by the dash lights.

"You're not darkness, Hic. Don't ever think that."

I made a sound that was more like a choke and had to look away. I didn't want him to watch me break.

"I've ran from my demons for years," Jack's eyes never left me - I could feel those baby blue jewels piercing into my soul.

"How do you do it? How do you keep running?" I looked at my hands on my lap.

Jack was quiet for a long time, before he said softly. "I don't, because I've found that they can run faster."

I don't know when our eyes connected again, but staring into his crystal blue eyes, something settled within me. Like he was smoothing out the rough edges of the darkness within my mind and I relaxed a bit.

Then Jack pulled off the side of the road, merging back onto the quiet highway. I burned Jacks image into my mind - when he was looking at me. The gentle illumination lit up his features in a way that make him look almost inhuman.

Not like the ghost, though.

Jack looked like he was created from the moon, the stars and the sky.

We didn't talk for the rest of the way home. The silence was soothing, it reminded me that there was such thing as peace.

It felt like within minutes, we pulled up to the Hoffersons'. I didn't know why the time passed by so fast - but I had a feeling it was because of him. Just being near him soothed me.

"Thank you, for driving me home," My voice was quiet.

"You're welcome, Hiccup." He said in a velvety smooth tone. "And, I was serious about what I said before. You can have the day off tomorrow. Take the time to collect yourself over the weekend. We'll see you on Monday."

I only nodded. I know it had only been a day working with them, but I suddenly wondered what else I could be doing other than work with them. I remembered the light-hearted bantering and instantly wanted to feel that again.

I wanted to feel like I had a purpose and that I belonged somewhere.

As I slipped out of the car, Jack leaned forward. His eyes shining and a familiar smile tugging at his lips.

"By the way, I owe you three thoughts."

I felt the corners of my lips curl into a small smile.

"I'll hold you to it."

^.^

I was bored.

Yesterday was a bust, because all I did was go to school and go home. Just like Jack said.

I wanted to be with Jack. And Merida and Bunny - Even Rapunzel, even though I hadn't met her yet.

The rebellious streak in me showed as I began walking towards the familiar abandoned streets early in the morning. It's not like they could tell me to go home if I saw them. Besides, they had an investigation last night, so there was only a small chance that they might still be there today.

But, I remembered the figure and stopped. Could I handle it if I saw it again?

I decided that there wasn't anything worse that it could do.

My long sleeved, button down rubbed against the newly fresh cuts on my biceps and ribs. Sometimes, I would take the cuts as deep as my thighs, but I found those ones healed the slowest. I knew, it would have to stop soon, but for now, it was a means to an end. Besides, no one but me would ever see these scars.

As I walked, I kept my mind clear, almost as if I was on autopilot. I approached the street, now lined with cars. I saw Jack's black Mercedes, the SUV and a dark blue Honda.

From outside the shop, where the cars were parked, I heard shouting.

"Hey, kid, listen here." A man's voice echoed through the street. As I rounded the corner I could see a large, older man towering over Jack. He was dressed in a grey suit today with a light ivory shirt. Jack was calm, Merida and Bunny were a few steps away, watching the scene closely.

"Mr. Watson," Jack said in that patronizing voice, "my team and I have exhausted our efforts here. I believe that what you have here is human induced."

I wondered, what other kind of experiments they did other than having the psychics and the cameras.

"You're wrong. There's something here and I want it gone. You think you can take off with my money, you got another thing coming." The man yelled.

"There is something here," I said as I walked up to them. Instantly, everyone was looking at me.

"Who is this? Another one of your investigators? Get him in there, because obviously the rest of your crew has no idea what's going on here." Mr. Watson began gesturing towards me.

"Excuse me." Jack stalked towards me now, grabbing my arm sharply and pulling me back a couple of feet.

"I told you to take the weekend off," He growled. I took it most people didn't disobey him.

I crossed my arms, "well, I was just in the neighborhood. How come he's so mad?"

"Our lock down proved there was nothing here. Bunny dug up some old bones in the basement, but things in my research just don't seem to add up. Besides, Mr. Watson has been seen on the camera's tampering with our data. My evidence suggests that there is no spirit here."

"You've only been recording for a couple of days, but we were haunted for years!"' The angry man walked over to us, overhearing our conversation and began shouting again.

"And I only did that because I wanted to make sure you were working. As for the bones... I had no idea about those. This place has been abandoned for years, who knows what went on here." The man continued.

"If this is such an active haunting, as you've suggested, why does it suddenly has no activity once we are here?" Jack turned back on the man. "The fact that you've admitted to tampering with our equipment, leads me to believe you know there's nothing here. Plus, I've heard about you from other investigations. They've all suggested that you have no evidence here."

"I-It probably knows you're here, that's why it's not acting out," The man flushed, obviously frustrated.

"I can't explain why you've had activity, and we haven't captured it. What I can explain, is that sometimes our minds can create -"

"What about him? He knows what's in there," Mr. Watson pointed at me, cutting Jack off. He glared at the older man.

Suddenly, everyone was looking at me now. Did I know what was here? I suddenly wasn't sure.

"Leave him out of it. This investigation is over Mr. Watson." Jack walked past him and back into the abandoned building. No questions asked.

I followed him inside.

"Jack, you can't just leave this place. There's something here," he whirled around.

"We've been here for days, now have tampered data and no one, but you, has seen anything. If there's something here, it hasn't shown itself to any of us. This should be a murder investigation, not a paranormal one."

 _Or it could be very strong and be blocking them._

I shivered from the thought.

"Let me try," I said impulsively and those blue eyes widened.

"No."

"It's shown itself to me. Twice now, please Jack, let me try. I want to help." I was determined not back down from those suddenly intimidating eyes. He stared me down for several seconds before he sighed.

"One word. Just say the word and I'll get you out of there." Then he walked out of the building.

^.^

Maybe Jack wasn't use to someone challenging him. Or, maybe, he knew that what I had seen yesterday startled me, he didn't want me to throw myself back into this.

' _When I look at you, I want to help you.'_

' _It shouldn't have been you that saw what you did - it should have been me.'_

' _Just say the word and I'll get you out of there.'_

I pushed his words out of my mind. They constantly swirled the confusion inside of me and I officially had a job to do now.

They took me to the room Zel was in. It was further back into the store and she was still sitting in the chair of the center of the room. When she saw me, she stood up.

She truly was beautiful. Zel was wearing a black pair of pants, a light shirt and a grey blazer. I even noticed that Merida was wearing more business casual in a black blazer and grey slacks.

"Do you really think there's nothing here?" I asked as she walked over to me. The building was dusty and old, there was rubble on the ground and we had to watch our steps. I recalled Merida saying this place could fall apart any day now.

Zel shook her head, "I've never been blocked before. Either something here is very strong or there is just nothing here to sense."

Her first observation made me shiver and I remembered the deformed figure and what Bunny said.

"I'm surprised he's letting you stay." She said, continuing out the door. "He usually doesn't let outsiders join in the investigations."

"Well, I did see something. So maybe, I can help move things along."

She gave me a face that seemed to say, suit yourself. And then she left.

The room was open and large. There were two doors near the other side of the windows - one was a small storage area and the other was an old, nonfunctional washroom.

And in two corners, there were cameras.

"Alright. This is what you wanted wasn't it?" I walked towards the center of the room.

"Here I am."

Nothing happened. Five minutes passed, all while I continued trying to provoke it. Nothing happened. I was starting to get irritated, Jack was only giving me one chance to do this and I wasn't going to disappoint him.

I started to wonder if what I saw really was just in my head. If it really was just my imagination and my subconscious.

I had never been more disappointed with myself before and I started walking out of the room - feeling defeated.

But, in the room I just left, I heard footsteps from behind me.

"Hello?" I stopped and turned on my heels. Something cold passed through me and I tried to resist the urge to run.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

He stood in the dark doorway I just emerged from. Quickly, I glanced around the room and found another camera on the other side.

"Show yourself," I said in a shaky voice. The figure didn't move, but I could smell the rotting flesh. My hands shook at my side and I clenched my fists to keep my fingers still.

"What do you want from me?" I blinked and the figure was gone.

My adrenaline was running high and I had the urge to run towards the room, but instead my feet stayed planted to the ground until heard the wood above me groaning. Like the building was shifting. My eyes dragged up to the dark wooden floor beams above me. There were footsteps, loud and clear, stepping just over me. My eyes followed them, as if I could watch the person walking.

When I turned around, his face was in front of me.

Red eyes blazed as a pair of hands grabbed me.

" _JACK_!" I screamed, reaching out but didn't feel anything - could see him, but couldn't touch him.

My eyes widened, and the demon gripped my neck, squeezing.

"J-Jack," I gasped. I refused to look away from those red eyes.

It felt like hours that his red eyes bore into the darkest parts of my mind. As if he can see how many suicide attempts I tried, or how scarred my body was from the cuts - from years and years of cutting and running from my past. Running from this darkness that consumed me. Behind the evil, though, there was something there...something desperate...

"Hiccup!" Bunny was in the doorway of the building. The light bled through the open door that cracked into the darkness of the windowless building. Another string of words left his mouth, they weren't from any language I knew.

From his hand, he produced a little piece of paper with symbols on it. The deformed figure dropped me and I stumbled back, coughing. There was a burning that ran down my back as I gasped for air.

A growl emitted from his throat - and I knew, he was from hell.

 _"Do it- I'll kill you."_

Bunny shouted another string of words and the demon stepped back, growling as the monk moved closer to it with the paper ward. All while chanting in an unknown language.

The monster made a noise, it was a sound caught between a cackle and a growl.

"This is why you're here," Jack held up something small, I didn't even notice he had entered the room. I squinted in the darkness and gasped.

It was a bone. A finger bone.

And it looked very, very old.

The demon stopped; his face twisted into something that looked like shock when Jack took out a lighter. The flame lit his features in a way that made him look immortal. As soon as the flame touched the piece of bone, the demon shrieked.

This time, it wasn't a cackle or a hiss, or a growl. It was him screaming - screaming from anger and pain. He shouted profanities when the air sliced through me - cold and cruel. I felt his entity wrap around me again as the room felt heavier. So heavy, I fell to the ground on my knees, a pressure so intense began pounding on my skull. I clutched at it, willing it to go away.

Jack wrapped Bunny's paper ward around the bone and it began to burn as he chucked it towards the spirit. My world bled open, like floodgates opening from within me, my screams echoed that of the demon. I felt claws digging into my skin and cried out for someone to help.

The world around me faded away, the pain melting off my skin like evaporating water.

I was standing on a black plane, in front of me, I saw large, iron gates.

 _'I'm dreaming. This isn't real'_

A figure began to form in front of me. A man, he was tall and seemed to materialize from the darkness itself. His skin was pale, his eyes were a mix of golden black and he had a smile at his lips.

"I've been waiting for you, Hiccup." He said in a cruel and sinister voice.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Hope you enjoyed the longer chapter :)

Please, review, rate and FOLLOW!

Cassie.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Anchor

**Authors Pre-notes:** There is MATURE content in this

^.^

As I stood on the empty void, with the iron gates and the man cloaked in darkness looming in front of me - I didn't feel afraid. I didn't feel anything.

"I've been waiting for you, Hiccup," the man said in a cruel, sinister voice. "My name is Pitch Black."

"Where are we? A-am I dead?"

"This is the other side." He said with a dark smile. "And, you're not the one that's dead - he is." The golden eyed man nodded to a ball of light breaking in the darkness.

The light-colored orb settled it's way just beside him. Slowly, it transformed into the demon from the abandoned building.

I stepped back. Pitch's golden eyes and, now, the red eyed demon were staring at me. A trickle of fear began to spread through my body.

Suddenly, the deformities on the demon began to melt away. It was like water was being poured over him and it washed away the twisted limbs and broken body. Now, an old and frail man stood in his place. He had white hair and light blue eyes.

His legs were weak and once the demon form left, he fell down on the black void. Pitch sneered at him as the man began to whimper.

"W-where am I? W-w-what happened to me?" He looked at me, his old and blue eyes now shimmering with tears.

"P-Please, h-help me."

I looked at the Pitch, "what are you going to do to him?"

"Very soon, it won't be what I'll do to him. But what will happen to you," He said in the cruel voice and hoisted the shaking man back onto his feet.

"Don't, please don't!" I stepped towards them, reaching for the man but, as if he was suddenly made of ashes and mist, he diffused away into the darkness.

The Iron Gates burst open and I felt my body twist with pain. First, my legs twisted back, and I shrieked, falling to the ground.

Then, my arms twisted, a sickening sound of bone cracking echoed through the void.

I was gasping, clenching my jaw tight so Pitch wouldn't get the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

This was Hell - I knew it.

Pitch laughed in the darkness as a disembodied voice cried out in pain - the blue-eyed man.

As he screamed, I screamed, closing my eyes. I felt the dark world fall out from under me and when I opened my eyes, I was no longer standing on that dark plane.

I was standing in the old abandoned building, in the back room.

But, it wasn't old anymore. There was a mix of antique and modern furniture throughout the bookstore, cabinets in neat rows lined with countless books. An open area was lined with couches and tables and desks. The back room was a quiet study area with small storage closet and washroom. It was perfect for a small meeting room or a small group.

Beside me, there was a mirror hanging on the wall and I stumbled back from the sight. Blue eyes stared back at me.

I looked at my hands, they were frail and withered, then looked back up at the mirror. I realized, I was the old man from the Gates. Or at least, this was a memory and I was seeing it through his eyes.

Something blurry appeared in the reflection of the mirror. I - we - spun around and Mr. Watson was standing behind me.

There was a cruel glimmer in his eyes and bared his teeth.

"How could you do that to me, Randy?" Mr. Watson pressed Randy - me - against the wall. The mirror chattered from the impact behind me.

I held up my hands. "I-I didn't know she was married to you. She never said once mentioned being married to you. I would never do that to you Robert."

"You lying bastard. No need, I'll deal with you the way I dealt with her," He dug into his pocket and pulled out a cloth, pressing it to my mouth. I struggled, but the moment I breathed in the strong chemical, the world bled black.

^.^

I awoke, tied to a chair. A part of me recognized that this was still the bookstore - the basement. I could see the racks of files and worn books they used as more storage. I looked around the room for an escape and found the flooring had been dug up.

And a woman's body was laying face down on the floor, a pool of blood surrounded her body. I recognized the foul smell and realized, she must have been there for a couple of days.

"J-J-Jessica." I whimpered and Mr. Watson - Robert, stepped out of the darkness. He was holding a metal baseball bat that he balanced it on his hand, admiring the gleam of it while I whimpered quietly.

"She didn't scream at all. I found it odd, that she cheat on me with an old man." I - Randy, didn't want to tell him that the first time he met Jessica, she was paid to be with him. The other times, however, it was due to a consensual relationship. She mentioned being in an abusive relationship with a controlling man who would beat her and force her to have sex. And that all he cared about was money, but Randy wanted to make her feel safe and loved. Never once did she wear a wedding ring, or ever mention a husband.

Randy wouldn't have fucked her that night if he knew. Robert and him were good friends and business partners. They both owned the bookstore. He didn't want to believe that Robert was that kind of man...

"I'll show you what happens when you screw with me," Robert said in a cruel voice.

"You wouldn't do this to me. Please, Robert, I'm being honest, I didn't know - AH!" There was a hard impact on my leg. I cried out as another one shattered my knee, then another shattered my arm.

' _Make it stop, make it stop._ ' I begged. My body and the chair now lay in a broken heap on the ground. I was unaware how much time had passed, just that he had stopped for a moment from breaking my bones even further.

It didn't matter if I was untied, both my legs were shattered, my body bleeding and hemorrhaging. Randy continued to cry out, telling Robert of his innocence. And I knew, Randy wasn't lying. He truly didn't know. Blood and teeth would spray from his mouth from every hit of the bat as he cried out.

There was a final snap in his spine, and he lay completely broken and face down on the ground.

A foot stepped on his neck, pressing his face further into the concrete ground. I saw a part of it was dug up and knew it was going to be his grave. There was a click, and the barrel of a gun was pressed to his cheek, angled up into my head.

"Rot in Hell," were Robert's final words, I heard the hiss of the gun and then I felt nothing at all.

^.^

I appeared back on that black plane, eyes wide as I stumbled back and fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Now you know," Pitch said.

"W-what was that?" I gasped.

"Your gift - as am I," he bowed, but those golden eyes never left mine. "You're my anchor."

"Anchor?" My voice was shaky.

"I am your anchor to this side of death, while you are my anchor to life. I've been with you for a very long time, in fact, I brought your mother to you. With your help, of course." He grinned.

I swallowed. _No, no, no._

This couldn't be happening, he must be lying. There was no such thing.

"Oh, but there is such a thing, Hiccup." He read my thoughts.

"Get out of my head." I growled, but there was no true bite to the words like I intended.

"You'll soon see, that you can do great things with my help. Until then, I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again very soon."

I heard that laugh in the darkness of my mind before something sharp and wet hit my face back in the real world.

I gasped awake, now dripping wet. Jack was holding the cup of water which he threw on me and Merida was gently holding my shoulders. Expecting my legs and arms to be twisted, I slowly scooted up more, expecting pain the slice through my body. But, they were perfectly normal.

Something hit my gut as the memories of the vision tumbled through me and I started vomiting. The foul smell was gone, the air was clear and the coldness subsided. But, I continued to hurl, like something was passing through me. I heaved as I remembered what that cruel man had done. I felt like I misjudged the spirit - automatically making him the bad guy because he was dead. But, it was the living that was ultimately cruel.

Bunny was at my side, and when I finished, he passed me a napkin.

"Get him out of here." Jack said when I was finally finished. Bunny helped me up and we made it outside - to the light.

I never thought I would see it again.

^.^

"There we are," Merida said as I laid in the passenger seat of the SUV. Merida leaned over me and handed me a cup of water. I had a towel around my head and my hair had finally began to dry.

"What happened?" I looked as Merida watched Jack and Bunny converse. Zel was nowhere in sight.

"Well, there's something very strange happening here. Things aren't adding up. But, the strangest yet, is that the spirit decided to show itself to you," She mused.

"Maybe it knew I could help him," I said and closed my eyes. I didn't want to think about his face again - about Randy's blue eyes full of pain. Possibly from years and years of suffering. And the time he suffered during his death...

"Maybe," She didn't found confident, and when I took my arm off my face, she was already gone to talk to Jack and Bunny.

Someone moved just beyond the line of parked cars, and my eyes narrowed. My body stiffened, I clenched my teeth.

Robert Watson.

He was on his cell phone, talking frantically and pacing.

Red tinged my vision and I stormed over to him. He was shocked to see me in front of him and I ripped his phone out of his hand, throwing it across the sidewalk. I had never been so bold, but in those moments, I felt Randy's rage.

"What the in the hell -"

"You're a murderer!" I yelled.

His face blanched, "h-how dare you accuse me of such a thing!"

"I know what happened." I stared at him as he glanced around us.

"Randy slept with your wife so you killed her, then you killed him." Once the words were out of my mouth, his eyes widened. Shock and disbelief colored his expression and I continued on.

"You drugged them and took them to the basement, that's where you killed both of them. But, you didn't know she didn't want to be with you anymore. Jessica hated you and how you treated her. You use to beat her, so she went to Randy to feel loved -"

Robert stepped closer to me, growling under his breath.

"Don't you say another word."

I wasn't afraid of him. I didn't let his actions scare me. What he did - and how… It was too horrible to replay again.

"How do you know that?" He asked in a low voice and I jerked back as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a wad of cash. "How much to make you forget, kid?"

"What's going on over here, Hic?" Jack was behind us. His blue eyes taking in the scene very cautiously. Robert put the money back as he straightened his suit jacket.

"Nothing, just commending him for a job well done, right?" I only glared at him.

"Not quite, there's a couple things I want to bring up with you, Robert." Hearing Jack say his first name made me glance at him. Did he somehow know what I saw?

"Payment I presume, that's all companies like you want." I hated how smug Robert sounded. Hated how he thought we were all just a bunch of kids. I wanted to hit him, the urge burned in my veins but I knew if I did, I would only be as bad as he was.

"No. Just facts, sir. Correct me if I'm wrong but in 2006, this area went out of business due to two missing person's claims. One, being your wife at the time and another being your business partner. This shop also had significant renovations done to the basement during that time, odd, since it was out of business before the renovations started. As I've said before, I did a little bit of digging and found that since this building went out of business due to 'paranormal' activity' to which you have been making a profit off the investigations. Mostly by tampering with evidence that you've compensated from."

I glanced at Robert, whose eyes were wide.

"It also happens that while we were conducting our investigations, we found some unusual items in the basement, under the renovated floors, that looked like they could have been involved in a murder. Particularly, the one involving your late wife and business partner."

I recalled Jack's words earlier in the day.

' _This should be a murder investigation, not a paranormal one.'_

How did he know? Did he always know?

"You can't really prove that?"

Robert was challenging Jack, with those same hateful eyes he did before he murdered Randy. I stepped between them, giving him a fierce look. Blue and red lights illuminated the way and he broke contact to glance around.

"The police will be taking over the investigation now. So, keep your money, Mr. Watson. I'll be seeing you in court." Jack said smoothly as the police approached him. Robert yelled profanities at Jack while he lightly grabbed my arm and steered me away.

^.^

I didn't stick around too much after the investigation. In fact, Jack only came to see me once after the interviews were done and briefed me on where I was to be on Monday, then told me to go home.

I thought about the 'other side' for the rest of the weekend. Drawing those iron gates and Pitch Black on my sketch pads, trying to figure him out.

Absentmindedly, I began drawing the old man, Randy - drawing the glistening moisture in his eyes and when I realized what I had done, I had to get up - I thought I would be sick. I couldn't get those blue eyes out of my head, nor, could I figure out what happened to him after Pitch misted him.

Before I knew it, the weekend was over and I was already at my last class of the day for Monday.

"Do you still need a ride home? I need to go to the city for work." I reminded Astrid for the third time today. Jack gave me intrusions to be at the office no later than three-fifteen.

"No, I'll get a ride," She smiled at me, then frowned. "Hey, you were pretty off this weekend, everything okay?"

I hated lying to her, so instead I said, "yeah. Just had to do something for work on Saturday and didn't feel too good."

"Oh."

I left school early. The drive to the city was painless and when I pulled up to the office, the parking lot was full of cars. I didn't see Jacks though, but I didn't see his on the first day I came here either. Maybe, it was in the back or something.

The van was there, a silver Hyundai and a blue Nissan.

Opening the glass doors, a young, friendly girl was behind the reception desk. She had green eyes and brown hair that was in a bun on her head. She was talking on the phone, but the moment she saw me, her face lit into a smile and she waved at me.

Once she was off the phone, she said, "the camera breaker! How nice to officially meet you!"

I sighed, a smile at my lips, "thanks."

"My name's Anna. I'll be training you for the week."

I heard someone coming down the stairs, not entirely surprised that it was Jack. He was dressed in a off-white long sleeved shirt and grey pants.

I tried not to stare at how lean he was where that shirt was tucked in, or that I could see the silver on his belt buckle.

He handed Anna some papers, "get these typed up before I leave, please, Anna"

Then he turned to me, those blue jewels turning mischievous. "Ah, Hic, good to see you on time. However, unlike on the field, I want to see you in business casual when you're here."

I took it my faded denim and black graphic t-shirt didn't fit in.

"Sorry, I have school."

"Pack it and change here. Also, you'll be working under Anna for now. She'll show you some of the program's we use for the administration and documents."

"So, I'll be a receptionist?" I felt a little disappointed. Hadn't I proved to him that I could be out there with Bunny and Merida? Well, maybe not, but I still found the entity when no one else could.

A feline smile, "for now."

^.^

By 6 o'clock, my brain felt like it was melted. I was a pretty decent computer guy, but this was on a whole other level of complexity. Anna had to answer the phones, leave messages, fill out reports, officiate and edit reports, file reports, print stuff…

It was a lot of work. And, by the time I learned how to lock everything up and was in my car, I let out a sigh and closed my eyes.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

I jumped up, peering outside my car window, expecting to see another demon, but instead saw Jack. Quickly, I rolled down the driver side window.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," I accused. His smile only broadened.

"I figured since I gave you a ride, you can return the favor."

I blinked. "What?"

"Merida has my car right now," He clarified.

"O-okay, I guess that's fair. It's kind of messy in here though," It really wasn't. Astrid was a neat freak about the car. My backpack had been recklessly thrown into the passenger seat, my books and sketches spilling out.

"I don't mind," He shrugged and made his way around while I frantically cleaned off the seat, throwing everything in the back.

Except for my drawings of Pitch and Randy.

Before I could grab it, Jack picked it up and took a seat, staring at it.

"Where did you see this?" His eyes flashed as they met mine, holding out the drawing.

"I-I just drew it. I don't know," I flushed and grabbed it from him. I knew bringing it with me today would have been a bad idea, but I didn't want to risk leaving it at home, alone.

"So where do you live?" I pulled out my GPS. We had an older car, so we didn't have any fancy technology.

"321 Bakers. Hiccup, I wanted to talk to you about what happened on the weekend." Internally, I sighed. I plugged in the address, it was on the other side of town, and began driving. I knew this was coming, it was just a matter of when.

"I think you were right about something. Whatever was there only responded to you and I think I know why," He said.

"Why?" I glanced at him, not entirely expecting that. He was staring straight ahead, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Have you heard of the term PK?"

"No."

"Psychokinesis: it's an interference of a physical system without physical interaction - such as communicating with spirits. I believe that since there were many attempts at making contact with that spirit, it knew how to block certain people out. However, it only made contact with you. Something about what you told me made me think, that maybe you're right."

At a red light, I met his baby blue eyes. "Maybe, it's not that you belong to the darkness, but that you help those from the darkness."

I thought about what he said. Is that possible? Can I have some kind of latent PK?

' _Maybe it knew that I could help him.'_

"I don't think I have a latent psychic ability, just out of the blue," I said, feeling flustered.

"It's just an observation. Anyways, thank you for helping on the case. As you know, you can't speak about anything that happened beyond our group."

I nodded.

After a few moments of silence, I decided to ask something that was on my mind.

"Do you have any kind of talents?"

I started to pull up to a gated community. Jack pointed me over to the side of the street, just in front of the main gates. The condos were all modern and sleek, with light grey tones and manicured lawns.

"I have many talents," Jack gave me a feline smile and I rolled my eyes, shifting the car into park. Jack took off his seat belt and then hesitated with his hand on the door for a moment.

"I was once able to use psychic powers," He said almost so quietly, I thought I imagined it.

The seriousness in his voice made my blood turn cold. Something dark loomed behind his words, making me think this was a topic that he didn't talk about lightly.

He didn't say anything else as he smoothly got out of the car and said, "thanks for the ride, Hic."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

How interesting that Pitch is involved huh? And, Hiccup has some very strange abilities... I wonder how this will help him with this particular group...Tell me your thoughts, I would love to hear them :)

See you in Chapter 5! And please, follow, rate and REVIEW :)

Cassie


	5. Chapter 5 - Devil in the Woods

^.^

It had been a week since I started working at the office. And, now that I had a two week break from school, I was covering for Anna almost full time.

It wasn't a bad thing - in fact it gave me something to look forward to. It kept my mind clear and I was able to learn more about the different types of PK from Jack, Merida, Bunny and Zel.

The type of PK I felt the most interested in, involved clairvoyance - it was a type of areal projection where the medium could actually see into the other world - and in rare cases, see into the minds of the dead. Like taking a peek behind the curtain, Jack said.

I was working at the computer, filling out reports for possible investigations. The office got a lot of calls and I found that Jack was very picky when it came to cases. Most of the time, it wasn't about how much people offered, but about specific circumstances.

Such as, for Robert, he took the case because he wanted to expose him and the other investigators that profited off him for the frauds they were. It was a bonus that it happened to solve a murder investigation case.

I heard someone coming down the stairs, it was Merida. Her and Jack were the only ones with offices upstairs. Bunny would work on the main floor, he was the one who left on site visits the most, and Zel had a temporary office on the main floor.

"File this, please" she handed me a stack of documents and headed towards Bunny's office - probably to bug him, "thanks, Hiccup."

The next set of footsteps, I knew where Jacks. He strode down the stairs, hands in his pockets and smug smile on his face.

"What?" I was instantly suspicious.

"We have our next case, ready to go on a road trip?" He grinned.

I thought he was joking, but from the amount of calls we got all over the UK, maybe not..

"There's a mansion a couple cities away from here that I want to look into."

I knew the one he was talking about, but found it off, since the story the lady talked about seemed like just a regular ghost story.

"You only want to take that case because of the daughter," Merida strolled out into the reception area with Bunny.

"He's got the hots for the Duchess," Jack's grin grew at Merida's claim.

"She's actually the niece, but all the same I suppose," Jack corrected, his smile broad and glowing.

"I could use a vacation, it's been gettin' a bit stuffy in here," Bunny stretched and looked at me.

"Will you be joining us, Hiccup?"

I didn't have enough confidence in my answer, so I glanced at Jack, "will I?"

"Of course, I want to see those latent talents of yours in action," He leaned forward, a glint in his eye that made my heartbeat speed up.

^.^

Getting the time off from school was easy, since we were on a break anyways. It was getting out of the Hofferson's house that proved difficult. They were worried, I understood, but once I assured them that I was just attending a work meeting, they calmed down a little more.

The morning of our trip, I watched as Jack's sleek black Mercedes pulled up to the house.

This was our thing, I realized. Driving with each other.

"Morning," Jack handed me a ceramic cup, it smelt like tea. I put my bags in the trunk, then slid into the front seat.

Jack took off and since the morning was just starting, it was still dark outside. Mist slowly rose from the earth, by the time we were passing the city, the golden hues of the sun began to light up the world.

"So, do you really just want to do this case for the niece?" I eyed him suspiciously. It was only Jack and I in the car. Merida and Bunny had taken the van, Zel had been flown in.

His face light up into a grin, "she's a delight. Once you meet her, you can see for yourself."

I rolled my eyes. I was a little intrigued to see this girl that had Jack's attention - if she was anything like the beautiful Zel. I still wasn't sure sure what they're relationship was. Merida commented on it, saying that Jack and Zel sort of grew up knowing each other since both of their parents were paranormal investigators.

Jack treated her like a goddess, they went out to dinners, he would drive her places…

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, as we hit the open highway again, I watched the rolling mountains and fields. He left one hand on the steering wheel, the other dangerously close to my own.

"Just thinking about what to expect," I lied. I was thinking about Jack - and how I felt about him and his crush on this girl, his relationship with Zel - how I wanted to be in some kind of picture with him.

"It'll be an easy case," He reassured me.

I could almost imagine Jacks feline grin tugging at his handsome face.

I hated how his voice caressed me, "where will we be staying?" I asked, to get my mind off my confusion about Jack.

"At the mansion. I like to stay at the location if I can, since it gives us more credibility with all the camera's on us. The girls will share rooms and the three of us guys will share a room. The accommodations have been all arranged."

I nodded, and to prevent him from asking any more questions, stretched my limbs out and yawned. It wasn't a lie, that I was tired. And I drifted off to sleep easily.

^.^

When they said mansion, I had no idea it would be a real mansion. And that we would be in the presence of real royalty. The small city we were in had still lived with a family overruling it - often this would be the governors or ministers. But, they decided to keep the honorariums and kept the term duchess and duke.

The mansion was elegant and castle like. It had large, towering arches and an almost church-like appearance.

The girl that Jack was crushing on was named Elsa. She was the Duchess of the country and this was her family's main estate. It laid on top of the highest hill, a small town below and the whole area was surrounded by woods, rolling hills and lakes.

She was beautiful, the same kind of beautiful as Zel, I had to admit. She had a tall, curvy frame and blonde hair that was perfectly styles atop her head. The young woman was breath-taking in her blue blouse and a pair of black riding pants that clung to her curves. Even though I regularly found myself more attracted to males... Elsa was very beautiful. I could see why Jack would think so too.

"Thank you for coming," the middle aged lady standing next to Rapunzel stepped around to us. "I'm Elsa's aunt, Amelia."

She was beautiful in a regal way - dark hair and eyes. She had a small crown perched atop her head and I wondered if she was queen of sorts. Odd, since we no longer really had use to duchess' and other queens, besides the royal family.

But, what did I know about royalty?

"What do you think?" Jack looked at Zel. Since she had flown in, she had been here for a couple hours before us and had been walking throughout the grounds, getting a feel for the place.

"I do sense spirits here, however, I can't get a good grasp on their intentions yet," She said to Jack.

"Well, we do know what it's intentions are," Amelia said sharply.

"The members of our court and our family. Something malevolent has shown itself to us. Making it so frightening the staff don't want to work here, let alone, do we want to live here. Not to mention our own duchess has had horrible things happen to her."

"It has been quite frightening," Elsa said, gently touching her aunt's shoulder.

"Most hauntings' are quite scary. Do you have a room we can set up our equipment in?" Jack was all business - if he did like Elsa, he didn't let it show at all.

I went around to the van to help unload everything with Bunny and Merida. Jack and Zel were conducting interviews with everyone in the household. Our base room was a decent sized guest bedroom, and even then, it was probably bigger than the entire upstairs of my current home. I couldn't imagine what the other rooms would be like.

Merida set up monitors that I didn't even know we had, directing Bunny and I on where to place the cameras throughout the mansion.

We covered several of the main hot spot areas, plus had them in our own rooms and the base room so we can be documented if there was any sort of tampering late at night.

We finished, just as Jack and Elsa strode through the door, "we've come to tell you that dinner is being served in the main hall." She smiled and I felt a little taken back.

"Thank you Elsa, I could use some fuel." Bunny got up first and went to the door. Merida and I made a face together - of course Bunny could eat first.

The hall was a gallant of marble and space. Large French door windows gave us an extraordinary view outside to the natural terrain. There was a buffets style table set up just beyond the main, long dining table. Bunny was already in the buffet of food when Jack, Merida, Elsa and I strode up. Zel was sitting at the table, she too, had her food already.

"I hope your rooms are accommodating," Amelia said when we all sat down with a our food. Servers poured out the drinks.

"Yes, of course. Thank you for your hospitality." I said, bowing my head. I didn't actually see the girls' room, but if it were anything like ours, huge and fit for kings, then they had nothing to worry about.

"I couldn't help but notice, though, there's a door upstairs down the east wing with locks on it," I mused out loud and Elsa clanked her silverware on the plate.

"Oops," she flushed.

"That room is off limits," Amelia said sternly, probably the most serious I've seen her since we came here.

"Strange, you never mentioned any off limit rooms in the interview," Jack chimed in.

"It's a heirloom room. Some of our most valuable and oldest talismans are in there and we keep it locked for the safety of tradition," Amelia kept her eyes on me.

"We'll need to get a feel for all the rooms, so if you don't mind, possibly at some point tonight we can at least check it out once." Jack looked at Zel and she nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. Of course, just once." She said, but didn't sound impressed.

And that was the end of the conversation about the strongly locked door.

^.^

After supper, we all went our separate ways. Jack, Zel and Amelia went to the room on the east wing. Elsa toured Bunny, Merida and I around the estate grounds.

"It's lovely up here," Merida said kindly to the young Duchess who smiled fondly.

"I've always loved it here since I was a little girl. We have homes in other parts of the nation, but it's nothing like this. It's a shame of all the paranormal activity happening." She sighed.

"What did happen? If you don't mind." Bunny asked polity and the duchess shook her head.

"My aunt doesn't like me to talk about it. But I have been physically attacked by the spirit on many different occasions. Once, I was at the top of the stairs and I felt a pair of small hands pull on my ankles and I fell down the whole staircase. Some of the most unnerving are when I get scratched."

"Scratched?" Bunny and Merida said in unison and Elsa turned, lifting up her soft blue shirt to show us the middle of her back.

Her skin was porcelain, but down from what was her shoulder blades were three long and deep scratches. I wouldn't even call them scratches - they looked more like cuts.

"No one was is around when this happens?" Merida pulled back first and Elsa lowered her shirt, shaking her head.

"Usually once I'm alone. The staff have been attacked in various ways too, but mostly it's just simple moving things or turning lights off. They've never been physically harmed." Elsa looked at her hands, her eyes glazed like she was stuck in some awful memory. I couldn't imagine what kind of spirit would attack a girl. I had the sense, she was very alone all the way up here.

"Isn't it a little unnerving to have woods so close to your home?" I asked, just beyond the well manicured lawn, there loomed a wooded trail. It was beautiful and lush, but I had a strange feeling rolling in my gut.

She shook her head, her eyes blighting up. "Oh no. In fact, I love going for rides in the woods. It's very refreshing. They say, our woods are enchanted and you can definitely feel something very _other worldly_ when you go through it. You should try it sometime during your stay," she offered.

Merida and I only looked at each other, both analyzing the words she just spoke.

 _You can definitely feel something very 'other worldly'..._

^.^

Merida, Bunny and I were waiting in the base room for Zel and Jack. When they finally stepped into the room, Merida rose to her feet.

"There's definitely something here," Merida said and Bunny nodded in agreement.

"Some kind of earth spirit, I can't get a grasp on it." Bunny noted.

"I agree, there is a lot of spiritual activity here," Zel said finally.

Then everyone was looking at me, when Jack asked, "what about you, Hic? Do you sense anything?"

"Uh - no. Not really, why do you think I would be able to sense anything?"

"Because, in the Watson case, you were the only one able to get a solid feel for what was there." Merida said and Bunny lifted his hands in a large gesture.

"Lil' Red, what about me? I was the one suggesting we were being blocked."

She spun around, "that doesn't mean anything, Monk. Hiccup got a real reading."

Bunny pouted and crossed his arms.

"We'll be doing round the clock monitor surveillance," Jack said simply, back to business.

"I'll take the first shift." Bunny raised his hand.

"Second." Merida said and Jack grinned at me. "Enjoy the views, Hic."

This was going to be a long night.

^.^

Knowing I was going to be on the last shift of the day, meant that I wouldn't get to sleep until that night, I fell asleep quite easily.

Sometime in the night, there was a stirring in the room, I heard heavy footsteps and opened my eyes.

I only saw Jack, standing at the door of the bedroom.

"Jack?" I blinked a couple of times. The room seemed darker - all the was light saturated out. "What're you doing up?"

Jack beckoned me to follow him as he slipped out the door. Hesitantly, I followed. The hallways were dark and motionless.

"There's something dangerous here," Jack said. He looked like the same, but I sensed this was a suddenly very different person.

We continued to walk down the hall when a flickering light flashed in front of me, before I saw a small girl pass by me. She had long, curly blonde hair and big blue eyes and was skipping and giggling down the hall. Just as quickly as she appeared, the girl disappeared into a ball of light.

"W-what was that?" I looked back down the dark hall - there was no way I could see anything, it was too dark. Yet, I saw her and Jack as if they were clear as day.

"One of the spirits trapped here," Jack said as he continued walking. "I couldn't figure out where she comes from, or how she is stuck here."

He stopped in front of a black door and I hesitated.

"I don't want to go in there." My body was rigid and my mind begged Jack not to take me into that room. Something about what was behind there made every hair on my neck rise.

"We can't go into it. It's locked," He frowned. "Spirits cannot go into it from this side of the world."

My skin began to crawl, and I felt sick, as if I was suddenly soaking in grease and fat. If it was locked, perhaps in the spirit world too, maybe it truly was dangerous.

"It's the same though," Jack mused to himself, shifting to turn around to the end of the hall.

"Same as what?" He didn't answer. Instead he pointed down the hallway, where a balcony was open. My feet moved on their own, moving slowly until I felt a phantom breeze on my face and stepped outside.

The woods from this afternoon were no longer full of lush trees. They were tall and spindly, and all frozen over. Orbs of lights were being emitted all around the dark void of the woods and that sickening feeling rose in my gut, it seemed to intensify.

Something about those woods and that room wasn't right. The sickening feeling I had in the pit of my gut only worsened and I thought I would vomit. My blood ran cold as I realized that there was something very dangerous here, and it had something to do with that room, those woods...

Suddenly, my alarm jostled me awake. I jerked up, looking over at Jack who rolled over and groaned from the sound of my alarm - time to take Merida off. I washed my face, trying to get that greasy feeling off my skin before I went towards the base room.

Merida was sitting at the monitors and she didn't even have to see me to say, "you made it."

Quickly, she reviewed me on the monitors from, going over some key points she said earlier yesterday. There were some that were just for surveillance while others were used to review footage. She showed me what I will be documenting, basically using the review monitor, writing down the time and type of movement.

She also, briefed me in on what the difference between an orb and a dust speck were.

"Oh, sorry about being in the east wing. I hope that doesn't ruin any evidence," I told her just as she was leaving out the door.

She paused, blinking in confusion. "You didn't go anywhere, Hiccup."

^.^

My four hour rotation didn't seem too long. Aside from a couple of cold spots throughout the house and orbs, there wasn't really too much activity. Both, paranormal or human.

At breakfast, we met a new face. He was a tall and muscular man with hair that was slicked back. He was dressed in clothes fit for a king and had a snobbish air around him. Elsa was wrapped in his arms when we came down as a group, and when we approached, she untangled herself from him.

"Hans," Elsa smiled at all of us, "This is the Guardians Paranormal Group looking into the haunting of the estate."

I couldn't speak for all of us, but Merida, Bunny and I probably looked the least friendly. All of us had that dazed look in our eyes from the lack of sleep and staring at monitors all night.

"Hans is my fiancee."

I glanced at Jack, half expecting him to be disappointed. But, instead he was grinning from ear to ear.

' _Maybe, he didn't like her…'_ I thought helplessly.

"Darling, I told you, there was no need for this," Hans sighed. This was a conversation they must have had often.

"You don't understand, it's frightening here when the activity started," Elsa defended her cause.

"Someone should have told me about this, though. So, we're going to be on camera in our own homes now? All for a gimmick? Please," I instantly wondered what Elsa saw in this guy - he was a douche. Maybe, Jack should have courted her. He may be an ass, sometimes, but this guy seemed to have a full time job at it.

Elsa glanced at us nervously, but Jack was the first to speak. "Have you seen the activity for yourself?"

"Of course. Nothing to be scared about though."

"Because it isn't happening to you," I said impulsively and Elsa bit her lip. Hans gave me a dirty look, I hoped that I was cranky enough to give him one back.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to interview you. For a better and more accurate picture of some of the activity happening here," Jack interrupted whatever Hans was about to say. He looked at Merida, who only nodded.

"Fine," Hans sighed, following Jack to a table while Merida flipped out a digital recorder.

Bunny was the one who spoke next, "as for the rest of us, we're going to start the first experiment."

^.^

Our first experiment was to rule out any possible human activity that could be caused here. After that was done, and it proved no humans were involved, we would directly communicate with the spirits of the estate. Rapunzel would act as a medium so the spirits could pass through and communicate to us. As, it could be difficult for them to with other interference.

After Jack was done with interviewing Hans, he had everyone sit in a circle formation around the room. Jack had mentioned that everyone was capable of some small portion of PK, and sometimes in a haunting, humans will unknowingly tap into the power and start believing it's because of a spirit.

So, to rule this out, he would be conducting a hypnosis test. Then, tomorrow, if we have ruled out human causes for the activity, Zel will make contact with the other world.

I've never seen anything like the hypnosis before. Jack used an orb of red light that gently glowed. The hypnotic rhythm of it almost induced me into that dark, dream state, but I willed myself to listen very carefully to Jack's instructions. When he was almost complete, he gave us all one simple command at the end.

"Tonight, this chair will move." He only said it once, after having us all focus on the light. Then the lights flickered on and just like that. It was over.

"If this is human induced, whoever heard the command in this room, will know that the chair needs to move. So the chair will move," Jack said simply.

Everyone was too dazed to really focus too much into what he was actually saying. That, with the awareness of knowing the chair will move, we can will the chair to move.

The chair was placed in the center of the room, marked with chalk and we set a camera up to catch any activity.

Now we had to wait.

^.^

"Sense anything yet?" Jack asked. I was startled out of my daydream and looked at him. I had some free time from making files and the administration tasks. So I lounged outside on a balcony that overlooked the woods. I still couldn't figure them out, but I had a sketchpad with me and hadn't realized I had drawn on two pages.

Zel stepped onto the balcony too at this point, strolling over to us.

"I don't know," I said honestly. Tucking the papers back into the pad - but I started understanding why the woods felt so enchanting. The old tree's seemed to call to me - like a siren luring in a sailor.

I knew I would have to go there at some point.

"Perhaps, I can suggest a way for you to tap into some of your latent power," Jack looked at me and I met those blue eyes, curiously.

"How?"

Zels green eyes flickered to Jack, "no," she said. "Absolutely, not."

"Zel, we need to know what he -"

"No, Jack. Don't you dare try to make me do something like that again. Not after what happening last time" She snapped. I've never seen anyone yell at Jack. He seemed slightly unphased, but his eyes widened - as if he knew what happened last time wasn't planned. Like whatever happened last time, went very wrong.

And for Jack, I could tell that bothered him.

Rapunzel didn't give him time to answer because she turned on her heels and stormed off the balcony. Jack looked at me, apologetically, before he went after her.

I was suddenly very curious at just what kind of relationship they had.

^.^

I was dreaming again.

I knew it because I was with Jack, but this time were were outside and he was standing on the edge of the trail leading to those woods. When he saw me, a smile lit his features.

But, it never reached his eyes.

"Where are we?" I looked around. The dream world stretched and grew with the darkness surrounding it.

"I want to see what happens to her," Jack nodded to the very edge of the woods and we both saw the same little, blonde haired girl.

She stood on the edge, staring up into the forest. Jack and I made out way over to her.

"What's wrong?" I asked her in a gentle voice. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slowly opened.

"It wants me to do it again." She replied.

"Do what, again?"

"It wants me to do bad things again. Please, don't make me do it. They'll all be hurt," She looked at me, those big blue eyes wide and fearful.

"W-who'll be hurt?" I asked, hesitantly.

"The humans. They'll all be hurt because of me," She looked down, quiet sobs escaping her mouth. I leaned down, touching her small shoulder - she was stone cold.

"I won't let it do that to you," I said confidently and she turned into my chest, wrapping her small arms around my neck. I didn't know what 'it' was, but whatever that thing wanted, it had a little girl doing terrible things. And in my books, that was very wrong.

I glanced up at Jack, but he wasn't looking at us. Instead, his eyes were fixated on the woods behind us.

Lifting the girl up in my arms, I turned to see what he was looking at, then froze.

In the darkness of the woods, a large, hound-like creature stood about six feet tall. I could hear its breathing, a low growl emitted from its mouth.

The demon had large fangs and I could see the bundles of muscles packed into its deadly body.

The girl looked over my shoulder at the beast, unphased, "it wants me to kill you."

"Does it talk to you?" I was afraid my voice would betray me.

"Yes, it wants me to do terrible things to people."

Another growl emitted from the beast and it slowly took a step forward, and another.

Jack tugged on my arm and I stepped back too.

"I won't let it do that to you," I told her quietly and the growling got louder. "It's weak if it needs to use a helpless, little girl to do it's dirty work. You heard me, why don't you act like the big bad monster you are and hurt me. Not her!"

Something flashed darkly in front of us and the demon dog was gone.

"Hiccup!" Jack yelled and when I glanced at the girl, her eyes were shinning red now.

Her nails, like claws, ripped into my flesh and I screamed, stumbling back. She reached for me again, her fingers growling longer, like blades on a sword.

I tried to move, but one hit me on the shoulder and I felt a burning sensation through my arm and the back of my shoulder blade.

"Now, who's helpless?" It was the little girl's voice, but I could hear the demonic possessor behind it, like a faint echo. She slashed her hands down again and another sharp sensation went through my skin.

Something black jumped in front of me, it was large and seemed like it, too, was made out of darkness and ashes. It morphed in front of me, and I could have sworn it was a dragon with green eyes penetrating in the night.

It growled and lunged at the girl when I yelled, "no! Don't hurt her."

I watched them collide and the beast of darkness was in front of me again. The girl lay on the ground and I rushed over to her.

"Is she okay?" I asked but no one was around. I heard the demonic growl of the hound and glanced behind me, to the wood.

The black dragon's ears were back, his teeth exposed to the entity. But it simply stared at us with those blood-red eyes before it diffused into the darkness. After a moment, the dragon disappeared too.

Everything disappeared and I was gasping, Jack's handsome face looking down at me. I sat up, sweating, I didn't notice the girls were also in the room. Their words swirled around me, but I couldn't shake what had happened in that dream.

There was something very dangerous out there.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

This was quite a long chapter to write! But, it's always fun writing so I don't mind :)

I wonder what Hiccup will do with this piece of knowledge... And if he'll be able to figure out just what happened in that dream...

See you in the next chapter ;)

Cassie.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Deadly Game

^.^

It was Zel who spoke first.

"What was that?" She covered her mouth, but her wide green eyes stayed on me. She must have found her way into my head.

Jack looked back and forth from us, his brows furrowing, "I want answers, what did you see?"

"There's something in the woods," I found Jack's eyes. I saw confusion and shock flash through them before he began pacing. There was a burning under my shirt, on my skin but I chose to ignore it and continued on.

"There's a spirit of a young girl and whatever is in the woods is manipulating her to do these terrible things to people." The stinging on my skin made me gasp and I lifted up my shirt, my skin was burning and Merida covered her mouth.

"Jesus, get a first aid kit." She ordered no one in particular, but Bunny left the room in search of one.

I dragged a finger across the skin on my back and felt three deep cuts - and they were bleeding.

"It's true, there is a young girl trapped here. I've sensed her presence along with two others that belong to this property. A man and woman - I believe they are a couple," Zel confirmed. I hadn't seen any of the others and found that I didn't want to.

"This has taken a turn for the worst. We might be dealing with something a lot stronger than I originally thought," Jack stalked over to the window. I knew it bothered him that he couldn't figure out what was happening here.

Bunny returned with a first aid kit. He and Merida gauzed up my shoulders - where the cuts were the worst. They taped up the ones on my back and neck.

"Was there anything else you can remember from your dream?" Jack asked and I shook my head.

"I want the history on the family here, plus any blueprints that can be found on the layout of the grounds," Jack said to Merida. She nodded and left the room and he turned back to the rest of us.

"Zel, Bunny - I want you two in those woods to see if you find anything. Be on your guard, what we're dealing with has the ability to hurt humans through direct contact."

"I'll let you know if I sense anything," Zel said and left the room, Bunny trailing behind her.

It was just Jack and I now. He strode over to the bed, sitting beside me.

"Do you want me to do anything?" I didn't dare to breathe. He was so - dangerously, close. I ignored the pain from my cuts and focused solely on his presence. And how calm and flustered he made me feel. Like being inside a snow globe.

"Check the camera's - I'll be wrapping up the experiment from yesterday and want to make sure there was nothing tampered with. We'll be moving into the next phase, I would like you to stay on the monitors for it."

I felt like Jack was always trying to protect me. Or maybe, he was trying to make sure I wouldn't break down like I did with my first case. I was like fragile glass in his eyes - and I felt like it too, sometimes. Only when I became vulnerable to the darkness that lingered around me.

A chill ran through my spine at the thought of never being vulnerable to that darkness again. But, instead, being the master of this darkness.

Jack frowned, "what's with that face?"

"I don't always understand what I'm being told, in the dreams. And I want to help you guys in every way that I can. But, some of the things I see, I feel like I can't escape that place," I clenched the blankets between my hands and Jack leaned even closer to me.

His hand covered mine, and my heart hammered in my chest.

"I know how scary it can be to feel like you're in a different world."

I didn't dare look away from him. For a moment I was transferred back to the car on our very first ride. When he told me I wasn't darkness.

But, instead, I was something stronger than the darkness - if I dared. If I dared, I could be master of anything.

 _If I dared…_

Our breaths mingled for a second longer than it should have and he pulled back, slowly. I was speechless, my heart still hammering from his closeness.

He looked over his shoulder, "I'll ask Zel again - to help you with it."

And then he shut the door and I was left alone with my conflicting thoughts.

^.^

I wasn't surprised to see that the chair hadn't moved. And I reviewed all of the footage from last night - aside from everyone coming to my rescue, nothing really caught my attention.

"Does this really mean there's something supernatural here?" Elsa asked, shock on her beautiful features as she gripped her fiance's arm.

"Of course not, because there's no such thing as ghosts. It's all a trick for the weak minded so people like this can benefit off," Hans gestured.

I wanted to hit him.

But, before I could get a word in, Zel grabbed my arm sharply and pulled me out of the room, down the hall and shut the bedroom door of another room.

"W-what're you doing?" I asked when she walked over to a set of chairs placed in the middle of the room. Candles were placed on four points of the circle - which I noticed wasn't made of salt.

Salt circles repelled, I remembered. Circles drawn like this, in whirls of symbols and swirls, were practically a direct path to you.

"We're going to make contact - together," She pressed a button on a remote and I heard the sound of a camera turning on. Sure enough, there was one in the corner of the room.

"We?" I swallowed hard. I knew I told Jack I wanted to help, but I wasn't sure if I could make any sort of contact with the spirits.

"Did I stutter?"

Jeez. She was pleasant today. Maybe calling for spirits made her cranky. Quickly, I recalled that her and Bunny went to look in the woods.

"Did you get anything from the woods today?" I asked.

"Yes, but not from the entity, or the black dragon. Now, close your eyes and focus," She held out her hands.

I tried not to fidget too much when I placed mine into hers and closed my eyes too.

Darkness surrounded me instantly and I tried not to open my eyes. I forced my mind to think of nothing, but on the edge of it, I felt her. Zel's presence was there, like she was looking inside my head. It was invasive, but I kept willing the darkness to remain calm. That last thing I wanted was the be transported back into the world with the demon.

Or to take Zel to the Iron Gates.

"You're not focusing." She scolded - and it was true. My heart was pounding in my head and I was so scared of closing my eyes and waking up in one of those other realms. Either, the one with the devil hound or the one with the Iron Gates and Pitch Black.

I wasn't sure which was worst.

"Try to imagine a door. Focus on creating a door." Her voice was hypnotic and faintly, in the darkness I saw it - willed it. It was a solid white door - darkness swirling around it like mist.

In reality, I felt her suddenly tense up under my hands. But I continued to the door and slowly, opened it.

But, what I found wasn't a door to my mind.

It was a door to hers.

^.^

And she might as well have been shouting at me. I heard her mind frantically trying to push me out, trying to rebuild the shield that I slipped past.

"What is this?" I looked around. There were strings that draped down from the , one laid on the ground by my feet. I picked it up, following it to the darkest part of her mind and was pulled into the fragment of a memory.

Zel was about nine years old, she was exploring her clairvoyance and wanted to test it on her friends - the twins. They were the sons of her dads friends and they often had play dates together.

"Alright, now just sit down," Jack's young voice said. Or at least, I thought it was Jacks. He looked like he could be a young version of Jack with the blonde, fluffy hair and big blue eyes.

"Oliver, you boss everyone around all the time," another boy, identical to the first, stepped into my view. I was standing next to Zel and she simply smiled.

"Would you like me to do it? I am the stronger one," the first boy, Oliver, grinned.

Jack made a face. "Whatever, just keep thinking that. We share the same power, genius."

Oliver ignored him and sat down, Zel took the seat across from him and they held their hands in front of each other. I stood next to the young Jack, watching intently.

"Close your eyes and focus on my voice." She sounded hypnotic, just like she had with me.

Everything seemed to be going fine. But, after a couple of moments, beside me Jack dropped to his knees. He clutched at his chest and began coughing. From the chair, Zel's head snapped back and she began convulsing.

The air increased, turning heavy and powerful and pressed down on the room. Small objects began to levitate, like we were suddenly floating in space. The chair's they sat on began to rattle before they were lifted into the air as well.

"O-Oliver… Stop, she can't handle it." Jack begged from on the ground. Zel began screaming and blood started coming out of her nose and her eyes. Everything dropped to the ground suddenly, the chairs breaking under the pressure and Zel yelped out in pain.

"Oliver!" Jack cried out and the door swung open. A pair of large hands ripped Oliver out of his chair and then I was also ripped from the memory.

^.^

I stood on the familiar plane, the Iron Gates looming over me.

"I told you, you would see me again," Pitch materialized from the darkness and his face lit into a smile.

"And, you brought company."

Zel appeared in the darkness, she glanced around - confused. I rushed over to her.

"What is this place?" She asked, weakly. Then, something flashed in her eyes.

"You saw, how did you get past my shields?"

"I-I don't know."

"Don't tell Jack, please, don't tell him you saw that," she grabbed my sleeve and Pitch's sinister laughter broke through the air.

"Welcome, darling. No need to be afraid." Pitch said. This was bad, this was very bad, I needed to get her out of here.

"Leave her alone," I hissed.

"I don't want her soul. I want the one hiding within her," He flicked his fingers, an orb shooting out from her body as it turned into the ghost of the little girl. She must have tried to make contact with Zel back in the human realm before she got stuck here.

"What're you going to do with that child?" Zel asked but Pitch frowned.

"I should have mentioned one of the most fundamental rules, young Hiccup. No visitors."

Zel looked at me, her eyes wide and full of questions and terror and confusion.

"I don't know how to control it," I admitted and Pitch shrugged.

"No need, she won't remember this place when she wakes up."

Darkness began clawing at her feet and Zel jumped back, yelping as dark hands reached up towards her, behind her - everywhere. She looked at me frantically, trying to kick away the phantom arms.

"Hiccup!"

"Stop it!" I yelled at Pitch, but with one last scream Zel was dragged into the darkness.

"W-where is she?" I gasped.

"Back in the human realm. Now, let's move on to more important matters," Pitch waved his hand towards the little girl and she stepped forward.

"I'm sorry for attacking you. Please tell them, I never wanted to hurt anyone," she said sadly to me, then looked at Pitch, nodding. As if they had some silent agreement - some unwritten understanding.

He laid a hand on her shoulder and, like Randy, she was misted into the darkness. Those gates flung open and I was, once again, dragged beyond them.

^.^

I felt no pain this time. Perhaps, the girl didn't die painfully.

"Mommy wouldn't like that." She - we, said. She was sitting inside the manor, in a pink room upstairs that I had never seen before. The young girl - whose eyes I saw the world from - was coloring a picture. It was a picture of her mom, her dad, herself and her new baby sister. Elsa was four years old now, so mommy and daddy had taken her to town all day, for something. Leaving, her - Hana - here with her aunt Amelia.

She liked her aunt though, because her aunt played with her and did her hair. They had a lot of fun together.

"Hana, I want to show you my most favorite place in the world," Amelia cooed.

"Mommy and daddy don't like it when I go into the woods. They say it's dangerous." Mom always told her she could play in the court heard, but to never, ever, step into the woods.

"I'll be with you. We'll play a game, you like games don't you?" This peeked her interest and she nodded.

"Okay. I'll go into the woods and hide, and you come find me." Amelia thought for a second before continuing.

"This will be the signal for when I'm ready to be found." She knocked four times on a chair. Hana smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically. Her parents were often so busy, they didn't get the chance to play with her. So when aunty Amelia did, she couldn't help but be excited.

She was told to count to fifty, and then she took off into the woods, skipping.

I noticed she walked deeper and deeper into those woods, not really having a place to go. She looked behind trees and shrubs. After what felt like hours, she sat by a tree, tired. Hana didn't know where Amelia could be hiding.

"Aunty I don't want to play anymore," she whined. A part of her began to get scared. She was in the woods all by herself - something her mom had told her never to do.

Then she heard the knocking and her spirits lifted - it was very close. She began running towards the sound, giggling.

"Aunty I found you!" Hana called when she rounded the corner to a path leading to a shrine.

This was the old shrine - and she had the sense that she was very far away from home now.

And, the person who stood in front of her, wasn't her aunt.

It was her uncle, Amelia's husband, Hans.

^.^

I shifted through Hana's young mind. Hans was officially married to Amelia when he turned seventeen. So, that means they knew each other when he was of age. But, I did the mental math.

Amelia was at least thirty when Elsa was four. Hans was seventeen. That makes Hans nearly thirty now, Elsa was twenty now and Amelia had to be in her mid forties.

 _But, Elsa was engaged to Hans…_

Just what was going on?

"Uncle," Hana said, "Please don't tell mommy I was playing in the woods, aunt Amelia just said we could play."

He held up a hand, laughing. "I won't tell your mom, Hana. I promise. I heard you were playing hide and seek. Can I play?" He asked her, kindly. I had never seen him more kind.

Hana was ecstatic and nodded, "yes!"

"Alright. Aunt Amelia is it. Me and you are going to hide okay? We'll hide inside the shrine." He offered his hand and she hesitated.

It was a small, simple shrine. It looked like it would only be one room big and was elevated off the ground. But the design was so beautiful and regal.

However, Hana felt a very strong urge not to go inside. She looked at her uncle and shook her head meekly.

"I'll be with you, it's okay."

She stayed hesitated and Hans sighed, bending down and scooping her up into his arms. Hana made a small protesting noise but Hans continued walking to the steps of the entrance.

My heart was pounding, along with Hana's. I felt that sickening feeling rise in my gut, like we were covered in grease and oil.

When they stepped inside, there was a foul smell. Hana covered her nose and gagged, but Hans' didn't so much as flinch.

From the ceiling, there was little bodies strung onto the roof, something dripping down on to the ground.

When the light had adjusted, I could see that they were the cut open bodies of small dogs.

"Uncle!" She screamed, kicking at him, clawing to get back towards the door. The smell was nauseating and she was scared of the bodies hanging above her. She bit him and he dropped her on the ground. She fell in some of the liquid, the blood, and tried to dash for the door. But, Hans was bigger and stronger and he yanked her across the floor, a chair was sitting in the middle of the slaughter and he threw her into it.

"I have to do this, Hana. I don't want to, but your aunt and I need you, darling." Hans was tying her to the chair, as she struggled to get out. When he was done, he gently touched her cheek while she wept. It was a mixture of tears and blood that soaked into her skin from the animals hanging from the ceiling.

"Uncle, please don't hurt me. Please, please, please." She begged.

"Hana, don't cry. It'll only hurt for a little while." He cooed and pulled out a long dagger. I felt the color drain from her face and then he dug it into her flesh.

We cried out, the pain was unlike bones being broken. As the knife plunged into my skin, it left behind a burning sensation that shook my body.

The cuts were systematic, I realized through the burning of the blade. First, he slit her arms, then her shoulders and down the column of her back - three times each.

I didn't know how much more pain I - we, could handle. She had no more energy, not even to cry out at the pain of the cuts. Hans watched as she bled, he chanted words that were only a blur. There were points where he moved around the room. At one point, Hana just wished he would kill her. Without warning, he grabbed her long hair and tugged her neck back.

The chanting increased in power, something was thrumming in the air and Hana felt the cool tip of the blood stained knife before he swiped it across her throat and she gurgled before I was sent back to Pitch.

^.^

When I was transported back, I was gripping my neck. How long did he keep her like that? How long did she suffer?

"What do you suppose of that?" Pitch asked.

"Hans' is a monster, doing that to a little girl." I didn't know if I could vomit in this realm. But I wanted too.

In the darkness, a pair of green eyes shone and my black dragon materialized.

"I see you've learned to master some parts of the darkness." Pitch said, looking at the beast. His ears were flat as he let out a low growl.

"What do you mean 'master it'?" I swallowed down my sickness and stared at the dragon.

"There are different kinds of darkness. There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, darkness that is restful." I pictured each. Trying to get a feel for this power.

"There is the darkness of lovers, the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it. So it's not wholly bad or good."

I looked over at the black dragon. He seemed more relaxed now, his ears were perked and his mouth opened just slightly to see that those teeth he had yesterday were somehow retracted. He was toothless.

Toothless. It seemed like an harmless name but then no one would know his true intentions. I looked at the dragon, who seemed to mirror my face.

 _Darkness to protect._

"There are two more souls left. Find them and bring them to me before they are consumed by the curse. I would suggest, you keep him close." Pitch nodded towards Toothless and the world began to fade away.

^.^

I snapped my eyes open.

Merida was holding Zel, who look weak and exhausted in her arms. And I was clutching to Jack - eyes feral. I dug my nails into his skin and he flinched. Those blue jewels were calm and he leaned closer to me.

"You're here, Hic. You're safe." He whispered and my breathing quickened. He was right - I wasn't in that darkness anymore. I was here. I was with him.

I dropped my head, still clutching to Jack and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"What happened?" He asked Zel.

"I - I don't know," She said before her eyes shot to Jack, like she instantly remember I invaded her mind. I saw something I wasn't suppose to see.

That no one was ever supposed to see, I thought.

"The young girl made contact with me, but I no longer sense her presence here. It's like she's passed on," She said before swaying. Merida caught her and began walking out of the room.

"Alright, let's go sit down." She told her but Zel's eyes were on me and I remember her words. I nodded slowly when the door closed.

It was just him and I, as Jack helped me back to our shared room.

Jack sat me down at the desk that my sketch pad was on top. He left for a moment and returned with a bottle of water that he placed on top of the surface. Neither of us spoke, and I couldn't shake the dark secrets I had learned from the other side.

I asked quietly, "did you find anything about the area?"

"Yes, the past couple of years, two young girls have went missing in the woods, the same way Elsa's parents went missing eight years ago. Their bodies were never recovered. Then, strangest of all, four years prior to that, their eldest daughter went missing in the woods."

I swallowed hard, trying not to think about the horrible things that happened to her - Hana - in that shrine.

"Did Bunny and Zel find a shrine today?"

"A shrine? No, at least not that they reported. Why?"

I tried not to vomit, "something horrible happened at a shrine in the woods. I think - I think it's the reason for all the missing people."

Jack placed a hand on his chin, "they have happened every four years since the eldest daughter disappeared."

Slowly, I asked, "is there any reason that this could be happening?"

Jack shook his head. "There are many different things that could be happening. It's hard to narrow it down without solid evidence. We could be dealing with something very dangerous."

I nodded and looked at my sketch pads. The heavy, handed pen-work caught my attention and I pulled out the two pieces I had drawn yesterday.

One piece had a picture of the door from the strange room in the east wing, with a dark figure standing off to the side of the paper he was cut off. On the other page, a figure was again, half drawn on the edge of the paper, but it was now standing next to the shrine in the woods.

But I had only just learnt about the shrine today.

Separately, they looked like two completely different drawings. But, once I put them beside each other, I rose to my feet. My hands were shaking at the revelation.

They were connected.

I held the two papers up, standing as I stared at them. The dark figure wasn't just a person either, it was the demon dog.

"What is it?"

"They're connected. Somehow, the shrine and that room are connected." I showed Jack the drawings and his eyebrows knitted together.

"This isn't a haunting," He said after studying the meaning behind the drawings. He turned them around, pointing to the shadow entity and the strange symbols within the darkness.

"This is a curse."

^.^

"We have to be sure," Jack said to Bunny and I. We were making our way out to the woods to find the shrine.

I directed them, following the vision I received. I also confided in both men about exactly what I saw in it.

We couldn't be sure if this was a curse. We knew it was dangerous to leave the girls, but Jack trusted that Merida would know what to do to protect them.

She had strict orders not to let Elsa out of her sight.

Because, for some reason, her immediate family had been the targets. And Jack suspected she was the one being cursed this time.

"So, twelve years ago, Elsa's older sister was the trigger for the curse. Amelia was older than her brother, but because he was the son, he was heir to the throne immediately. So, to get back at him, Amelia had to use her brothers first born child." Bunny said.

Jack added, "I have a feeling the last two girls who went missing were a way to keep the curse activated, as Elsa probably wasn't here long enough. It seems that the curse can kill, but it has a regeneration time of four years."

We walked up to a small path and I urged us forward. We were almost there, but all around us, we could feel the air get thicker and I almost dared a glance back, but didn't. I was afraid I would see the devil in these woods.

Luck was on our side. When we walked up to the shrine, a pair of the workers from the estate were walking down, they saw us and halted.

"You said no one would be there." The woman said to the man and he gave us a nervous glance.

"We're investigating the shrine. Would you happen to know what it's used for? It seems a little old to be functional." Jack stepped forward, his hands were in his pockets. This was his favorite mask, I realized.

"We can't talk about it." The woman said but Jack insisted.

"If you don't answer my questions, I'm going to have to start assuming. Now, tell me, was it Amelia and Hans who sent you out here?"

Something strange happened then. The couple both looked at if they had seen a ghost, their faces bled of any color and their mouths gaped open. I glanced behind me, perhaps thinking the devil had finally shown itself, but nothing was there. I glanced at Bunny next and he simply shrugged. But I knew the feeling of supernatural power.

 _'I was once able to use physic powers.'_ I remember he told me in my car the time I drove him home. Was this somehow it? And what about his twin, Oliver? He mentioned that they had the same powers...

"Amelia has the staff sent out here every couple of weeks to bury a charm." The man answered first.

"Can I see it?"

"We've buried ours, but -"

"Then, dig it up. I want to see these charms."

Jack's voice was laced with something dark and dangerous. Even the couple didn't disobey him and they turned to the front of the shrine, then rounded to the back. Jack beckoned us to follow, at the back of the shrine, we watched the couple dig in the ground with small shovels. The woman found the first charm and Bunny took it from her.

"A-Amelia said it was a charm for the fortune of the estate and the people." The woman stuttered. Bunny's eyes were wide as he stared at the small piece of paper.

"Jack this is a type of earth curse. Once a demon is summoned for 'work' the caller must worship it, by sending the demon gifts." Bunny got down on the ground and began using his large hands to gently up lift the dirt. In the ground, there were about five more pieces of paper. He lifted one out and straightened it out.

He compared to the one the woman gave him.

The design on it was in circular writing I had never seen before - no, I had. It was the same symbols as my drawings, etched into the shadows. There were two columns of the strange writing down the middle and the whole charm was no bigger than a paper bill.

"The name, down the columns here, is the name of the cursed." He examined the paper and Jack beckoned for it, after he read it his head snapped up.

"We need to get Elsa out of here."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Thanks for all the great reviews and please, keep them coming! Also, favorite and like this story for updates!

Hiccup has learned some interesting things now, so I wonder how he will connect the dots...

PS. I always thought Jacks middle name was OLIVER not OVERLAND...So, hence why OLIVER is now here. I decided to keep with it since it seems to fit in the story now :)

Thanks everyone!


	7. Chapter 7 - Bloodstained Shrine

^.^

I stared at the charms the whole way back to the castle. Before we left, we dug up about another two dozen that all had the same symbols.

"Didn't you use this kind of charm during the Watson case, Bunny?" I held it up.

"No. I used spiritual wards, they strengthen my defenses. This is unlike any charm I've encountered, perhaps Merida knows more about it. She has traveled across Asia and India."

"I already told her we were on our way back. I do agree, this is something unique. By no means was it done by coincidence, Amelia and Hans knew the consequences of this kind of magic."

Hans and Amelia were a dangerous couple, I thought as we walked back to the estate grounds. Merida approached us when we reached the grand steps of the castle.

"Where's Elsa?" Jack asked.

"Don't worry, she's upstairs with Zel. What did you find, you said it was urgent." She watched as Bunny pulled the charms out.

"Have you seen this before?" Jack asked, Merida's eyes were wide as she took in the little paper.

"This was buried at a shrine?"

We all nodded and she ran a hand through her hair.

"What do you know, Merida?" Jack voice brought her out of whatever she was thinking about. Her face was back in business mode.

"This is called a Pishacha. It is granted these charms as a gift which are buried on spiritual land. The more of these that have been buried, the stronger the intent for the demon to hunt and kill the one being cursed."

I shivered at the word - hunt. That thing was hunting Elsa.

"If you know about this, can you stop it?" I asked, eagerly.

"This curse originated in Hindu mythology and I've only dealt with something similar to this when I visited India once. It was cast on a vase, and the charms were being put into it. It is a very strong entity, however not as strong as this one, but I chased the spirit out and the vase was totally shattered."

"So there's nothing we can do?"

"Well, I did learn that you can either let the curse run its course or you can reverse it on all those who gifted these charms to the Pishacha."

Bunny said, "you think we can turn it on all those people who buried the charms?"

Merida nodded, "it'll take some time to prepare it. Odds are, there's a whole more of them that the damage can be distributed to. Sounds like better odds than having it go up against Elsa."

"I'll give you any resources you need. We have to reverse this curse," Jack said. It might as well have been the law, because both Merida and Bunny nodded eagerly and turned away, walking to the estate.

I felt the color bleed from my face, "wait, you want to set that thing on all those workers? Who didn't even know the true intentions of what they were doing?"

"If it's the only option we have, then I don't see why we can't. It would be partially their fault if anything happened to Elsa," he sounded so harsh - so cruel. How could he not care about all those people, who were innocent in my eyes.

"You can't do that to them! It's not fair! Why do they have to suffer if Amelia and Hans were the people who started all this? They deserve the curse, not those workers."

"I have a feeling Amelia and Hans didn't participate in burying these charms." Jack said matter-of-fact, and added, "would you rather us ignore Elsa's death?"

"O-of course not, but there has to be a better way," I said quietly.

"The workers here will be accessories to murder and treason. Amelia and Hans will repay their sins one way or another, but the curse is going to be reversed."

I clenched my jaw, continuing to stare into those baby blue eyes. There was an icy fire that burned behind them. Jack didn't say anything when he turned on his heels and followed Merida and Bunny back inside the mansion.

This wasn't going to happen. I was going find another way - there had to be another way.

I decided it was best to truly learn how to master these skills, in order to do this.

^.^

I waited for Jack and Merida to leave in the van before I tried to get to Elsa. I needed to tell her what was going on - to tell her the truth. Maybe, if we could get her out of here in time, she would have a chance.

But, when I tried sneaking to her wing of the estate, Bunny stepped out from the corridor and crossed his arms. There was no way I could take him on - he had at least a foot on me, in height. And, another twenty pounds in muscle and weight.

"Jack told me to keep you away from Elsa, I'm sorry, Hiccup." He gave me a sad smile

"You can't do that to them. And you can't leave her in the dark, either. It's not fair," I said.

"We know that Hiccup. But, you only want to do this because you're upset at Jack. It isn't the way for her to find out. Do you even know what you're going to tell her? Or what it would do to her?" Bunny's golden-green eyes looked down at me.

I hated that he knew he was right. I was only doing this to stop Jack - to find another way. And I hated that Bunny knew that I couldn't tell Elsa. That's not the kind of person I am.

Because this news would shatter her world. Everything she had ever known would be dead and gone.

I looked away from Bunny, clenching my hands. "It's just not fair to them."

"Believe in Jack. You need to trust him - trust that he knows what he's doing," Bunny put his hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing.

"Jack has never let us down. And he won't now."

I made my way back to the base room, not entirely sure how to feel. I thought I could try to help, but I wouldn't be helping. I would be ripping a hole in Elsa's world and that wouldn't be fair.

Bunny was right, Jack had never let me down...had never let this team down...

When I was in the base room, Zel stood up from the monitors, holding something in her hands.

"I know what you want to do," she said simply

Her clairvoyance was starting to get annoying, I realized. But, she stepped towards me and held out a brush.

"The presence here is becoming strong - I get a bad feeling about what's to happen."

"What's this for?" I nodded towards the elegant comb made out of a porcelain stone.

"The connection becomes stronger if you have something personal from whoever you're trying to connect with," Zel's green eyes were wide. I had no doubt that what she said about the spirit becoming stronger was true. I felt it - the roiling in my gut seemed to worsen.

I reached for it, slowly pulling the comb closer to me. Could I really do this? Intentionally go into that realm with a purpose? I slowly sat down on a chair, I couldn't take my eyes off the comb. But, maybe this would be how I could help. I just had to try.

So I closed my eyes and focused on Elsa. I materialized her into my world and when I opened my eyes everything around me was gone. I was still in the base room, but the walls no longer seemed to be made of substance and I walked through one, and then another.

Until I saw Jack a couple rooms away.

I didn't think I could still be mad at him, but I was. However, I pushed my anger aside and focused on him.

"Where's Elsa?" I asked and he looked forward, pointing.

He pointed down the east wing hallway. To the locked door.

My heartbeat quickened when I was standing in front of it, I felt sick.

"It's no longer locked. Something must be happening in the human realm." Jack said and opened the door.

I expected something to jump out, but it was just like every other room. We stepped in and I saw it truly was a room full of heirlooms. Glass encased the most expensive and fine pieces of jewelry, and others simply hung on the wall.

Jack and I weaved through the room, much larger than I expected. There was an electric bolt that blasted through me - tingling my spine and I stopped moving - frozen with fear.

In the back behind all the cases, was a door to another small space, there were bones and skulls stacked on the cabinet - five in total.

The same number of people who have went missing in the woods.

I thought I would get sick - it was like they were displaying them like trophies.

Jack moved beyond the door and I willed myself to follow him. I was truly shocked at what I saw next.

A hallway, steep stairs ran down into the darkness - a secret passage.

"It leads to the shrine," I said aloud, like a sudden epiphany.

"It would seem so. There would be too many questions if the bodies were taken through the front door."

"Elsa is down there?" I swallowed. They all thought she would be safe, but perhaps Hans and Amelia were growing restless. Or, perhaps, the deadline for the curse was rapidly approaching.

Jack nodded. "But, you shouldn't be here. It's dangerous," his brows furrowed.

"I can't let you put the curse back on the workers. If I have to come here to try to find answers for another way, then I will." I stared into his blue eyes there was a hint of confusion.

Then I took off down the corridor.

The light vanished instantly and I was surrounded by darkness. But, I remembered the darkness' that I could summon - molding it into what I needed the most.

Toothless appeared behind behind me, his green eyes glowing. We settled into a run down the hallway. When I heard sobbing, we pulled back immediately.

"Elsa?" While we were running, I hadn't noticed the door in one of the walls - it was too dark.

The sobbing continued, and I pulled the door open. The room was small, old chains laid on the ground and Elsa was curled in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest.

"H-Hiccup?" She whispered and I knelt beside her.

"Are you hurt?"

"No. But, Hans came into my room and brought me down here. I think he might do something horrible to me," she covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

"I'm so scared."

I wrapped her in my arms, cooing to her, "it'll be okay. We're going to come get you, everything will be okay." I erased the room, instead transforming it into a room of beautiful darkness. Stars twinkled in the night all around us.

Toothless stepped into the doorway and Elsa went frigid in my arms.

"He's going to protect you. We're going to come get you, but you need to stay strong Elsa. You need to be brave."

She nodded into my side and I pulled back, reaching into my jean pocket and pulling out my wallet.

Inside, I carried an old coin my mother gave to me before she died. It was a gift to her, an antique pure silver coin with an ancient Egyptian God on it.

I lifted her hand and placed the coin into her palm.

"Do you feel that? You're still very much alive Elsa and we're coming to get you. My mom gave me this coin for good luck, and now you can use it."

Elsa squeezed the coin and I lifted my hand to push aside some stray strands of hair from her face.

They must be running out of time if they had decided to do this now. Hans and Amelia were a very dangerous couple, I had a feeling, they knew it too.

I hoped this wouldn't be the last time I saw the young, beautiful queen.

^.^

I opened my eyes with a new purpose. Zel sat cross-legged across from me and I knew she understood the urgency when I jumped up and ran towards the east wing.

We would have to check the cameras later, for more details on how Hans had gotten Elsa out of her room. I knew we had a camera set up down that wing - I had set one up after my first time in the spirit realm.

When we reached the door, the room was unlocked and Amelia stepped out from the middle of it.

"You're not allowed in this wing," she sneered. Her fine silk dress hissed against the marble floors as she made her way over to us. We stepped back out into the hallway and she locked the door with a key.

"I know what you've done," I glared at her.

"You and your little team need to leave here. We were fine until Elsa thought she needed your help," Amelia said.

"If we hadn't had come, you would have been able to set the curse into motion, wouldn't you?"

Her face remained unchanged. As if she could care less about what happened here.

"How could you do that to your niece and your own brother?" I asked in the darkness, clenching my hands at my side. I was fully aware of the time we were wasting here.

But, in the darkness by the balcony, I knew there was a camera there.

And if Amelia played my game, I hoped I could come out the victor.

"They were a means to an end," she said simply, but I pushed for more.

"Why keep Hans' around? Or why keep Elsa around for so long? You could have brought her home at any point and activated the curse. Instead you used those other young girls from the village."

"That would have been too suspicious. After we disposed of Harold, I knew we would have to lay low. Elsa was too young to know of Hans and I, so in order to keep him around the estate, we decided to have them wed. Though, she would never make it to the wedding for it to take place."

"So you conspired against the royal family. All for the throne?"

"If I were you, I would pack your things and get out of here," she slowly turned away from the door.

Amelia truly was a monster.

"This was a waste of time to fulfill Elsa's little fantasy of ghost hunting. You have until the evening to get your things packed, and you people will be gone." She stalked past us and down the hall. She probably thought the room was air tight - that we couldn't get in without that key. But she thought wrong.

"What are you doing?" Zel asked quietly when I pushed against the door, jiggling the handle. I ignored her and closed my eyes, concentrating.

I imagined the door from the other side - in that other realm. Jack was there, staring at me. I willed to him a silent message and he nodded.

He would unlock it. And when I jiggled the handle some more, I opened my eyes and the door slowly creaked open.

The air was heavy, but I pushed past it. It looked different that the last time I saw it. And I realized the small doorway was hidden.

"Pull everything away from the walls, hurry!" I commanded and Zel moved quickly.

"Hiccup, over here." She pointed to the wall and I saw a latch on the old wood. It was a sliding door, masked as the wall. We both struggled to get it open and when we did, the bones were still settled atop cabinet on the wall. Zel gasped, her eyes widening but I grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

"We need to hurry. I told Elsa we would get her." I promised her I would come back.

We ran down the dark corridor hallway - I knew what we were looking for and when we got there, I pushed against the door.

But it was empty.

"No." I breathed when we walked around the small room. Disappointment filled me up within and I let out a frustrated groan. When I looked at Zel, she wasn't looking at me at all.

Zel was looking at the door.

"They're here," She said quietly and I was expecting to see Hans and Amelia.

They didn't show up though, and she spoke again, "Elsa's parents."

There are two more souls left, I recalled Pitch telling me.

Her parents. Of course, they would have a stronger will to stay around - to protect their daughter.

Zel walked out the door and I followed as we continued walking down the hallway. It stretched so far, but I knew why. It was made to connect to the shrine - which is where we were heading.

"Are they saying anything?" I asked and she shook her head.

"They are only walking, pointing to go this way. But, I get a very bad feeling."

I did too. In my gut, I knew we wouldn't be alone once we emerged.

We got to the end of the tunnel and had to climb out of some stairs that had a cover over them. When we pushed it aside, we were in the woods.

But, I sensed Toothless was close by. I followed my gut and we stood in front of the shrine within moments. The dirt was dug into, a strange pentagram was drawn around the structure and torches were lit outside.

I walked up the steps of the shrine and Zel grabbed my arm.

"There's something here."

I looked back to the door and slowly opened it.

It felt like we were thrown into a electricity current as it shot up my spine, the once normal room was now alive with something far more sinister. Elsa was dressed in a long, white gown, her hair was down around her frail face. She had her hands bound behind her in a chair.

The same pentagram was drawn around her.

"Elsa!" She didn't respond and I made my way over to her. A loud growl shook the building, I snapped my head to the corner of the room.

Hans was there - naked. His mouth was hanging open as he snarled and his body was crunched over in a feral way.

His eyes were glowing red.

In a flash, he emitted the growl again and lunged at me. There was no way any human could move like that - or make that sound.

This was the devil from the woods - the Pichacha. The reason Hans had to stay around, was because he was the one who harbored the demon.

I had just barely made it out of the way and Zel screamed at the door. Hans' head snapped to her, then he lunged. I couldn't make it, I wouldn't be able to make it to her.

But Toothless did.

Hans' hit him head on and bounced back, flying into the wood of the structure. Zel ran outside and I only hoped she could make it back in time to get help.

I ran to Elsa and tried to free her hands. There was something sticky on the back of her gown and I found her back was completely cut up.

Blood ran down to the floor, over the snarling of Toothless, Hans spoke in a inhuman voice.

"She's mine," he hissed before tangling with Toothless again.

They snarled and lashed at each other - while I worked at Elsa's wrist. They were also slit and bleeding, the rope cutting into them so much, her hands were swollen. When I was through with the knots, I lifted her up and made my way to the door when Hans roared out.

"NO!"

I dared a look back. Hans' was kneeling, his body began convulsing, the entity standing above him now. This was it's true form. Not the demon dog.

A black body, with protruding veins and red eyes stared back at me. He pushed Toothless off him, his strength sending him across the room before he disappeared into a mist of darkness.

Hans' body fell to the ground, and the monster stalked towards me, reaching out.

I couldn't move. I willed myself to run, but I couldn't summon my muscles to move. My knees gave out on me, Elsa and I falling to the ground when the Pishacha reached for her - his ultimate prize. He lifted her like she weighed nothing and licked the blood off his hands. His fangs were protruding over his bottom lip.

I thought I would cry. I couldn't help her - when I tried so hard to get to her. When I tried so hard to make it all right. I didn't want to watch, but his power controlled me to - tormenting me. I just wanted it to be over, and hoped he would take me too. I didn't care about permanently being stuck in that darkness. Not now.

He stopped, however. His eyes were wide and something white slashed through his side. Then another. He howled out, lowering Elsa as he turned around.

A man and a woman stood, hand in hand on the other side of the room. They were beautiful, the man had dark hair and the woman was blonde. Elsa's parents.

"Take her, we'll hold him off. But only for a moment, the curse is almost reversed. Please, save our daughter," the man spoke. All around us there was a bright flash of light and I didn't hesitate grabbing Elsa. I found my legs worked again and I dragged the both of us out of there. And then further. I didn't know when to stop. I pushed my legs until they no longer worked, until I could no longer hear the cries from the monster.

I was breathing heavily, and fell to the ground. Blackness surrounded me and I was no longer in those lost woods.

^.^

When I awoke, Jack face was staring down at me. But, whether it was the Jack from my dreams, or the real one...I wasn't sure.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked and he pulled back.

"You're going to wish you were. What the hell were you thinking?" Jack hissed.

"Where's Elsa?" I hoped that they got her medical care in time, from the marks on her back and wrist, she was going to need stitches. When I looked around, I noticed we were in a hospital room. I guess, they found us and took us here.

"She's going to be fine. I'll tell you one thing, if you didn't get to her, by the time we reversed the Pichatta, she would have already have been dead."

I frowned, they did it. Even after my attempts to stop this…

"Relax. If you cared to listen once in awhile, you would have learned that we set the curse on these." He lifted up a small, wooden structure in the shape of a human There was a name written on the bottom. And I realized, the arms and legs were broken on this one.

"I don't understand." I said.

"Those are called Hiigara. They take the physical form of a person and you give them an artificial soul. There was one made for every staff member who participated in the charms. Once the curse was put on them, the Hiigara took the physical manifestation of the curse."

I only blinked, all this time, I thought he would use actual people. I realized now, Jack never wanted to hurt anyone.

"I see," I looked down at the blankets. My knuckles were bandaged up, so was my arm. But I felt at peace.

"What happened to Elsa?"

"She'll be fine, she suffered a minor concussion and various cuts, but she's been healing up fine. As for Hans and Amelia, we found the tape of her admitting to the killings. Once they found Hans in the shrine with you two, they arrested them."

Good. I was glad that the camera was rolling. I took a gamble on whether or not it would have been.

"So now what?" I tried to sit up but Jack 'shushed' me and gently pushed me back down.

"For now, you stay here and get better. I'll just finish up with some interviews and then -" He stopped mid-motion of getting up. I reached out for his arm, needing to feel someone beside me. After everything, that's all I wanted.

"Please, don't leave me alone." I whispered. I didn't have the confidence to look at Jack but I felt him sit back down, lacing his cool fingers through my own.

"I won't leave you anywhere, Hiccup."

^.^

I was released from the hospital the next day. Elsa was able to walk around, finally and would be released in a couple of day as well. The day we were leaving, we visited her one last time.

"Thank you for all have done for me. I will never be able to repay you for what you've accomplished here," she said gently. It had only been a couple of days since she's heard the truth. But, she was holding up very well.

"There's no need. We're happy to have helped solve this case and give you some closure." Jack smiled at her. She looked at me next.

"Thank you for giving me this, and leaving your dragon. I think without either, I would have been dead." She reached into the pocket of her gown and produced the coin I had given her. I wasn't surprised - astral projection was another skill I had yet to master.

"What are your plans?" I asked and she folded her hands in front of her.

"I'll need to have some proper funerals for all those who lost their lives. For my mother, father and older sister. And those other young girls. There needs to be a queen for these lands, someone needs to protect these people and it's been my family's duty for so long. It'll take a lot of work to have people trust us again," she sighed.

I stepped towards her, gently touching her shoulder. Elsa looked up into my eyes.

"You'll do just fine. Remember, you're a brave girl and you're going to be a strong queen for these people," I said and she smiled.

"Thank you."

She walked us down to our cars - the van for Bunny and Merida, and Jack's black Mercedes for him and I.

"Jack, may I speak with you alone for a moment?" She asked, when we reached the door. He looked at me and I shrugged, opening the door and sitting in the passenger seat. I heard their muffled voices, watching their body language. Elsa was holding Jack's hand, they moved again and she was hugging him. Then, he was opening up the car door and starting the engine.

"What was that about?" I eyed him and he grinned back.

"She asked me to come back and see her sometime."

I tried not to sound too disappointed, "well, good for you. And her I guess."

Jack shrugged. "I told her that I was already interested in someone else."

My head snapped to him. His eyes were a hundred shades of blue in that moment and I gulped at the intensity of them.

"Let's go home, Hic." He slowly reached over, taking my hand in his and squeezed. The contact only lasted a moment, but it was another moment with him that I could burn into my memory and keep forever.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

AND case 2 is done! I'm very happy with how this one went. Now, I get to focus on some others that I've had in mind.

Thank you for all your awesome reviews. I'm glad you're liking to the strange world I put Hiccup and Jack into.

Please, continuing reviewing and we'll see you next week :)

I have a feeling Hiccup's curiosity is going to continue to get him into trouble :P

REVIEW and FOLLOW!

Cassie XoXo


	8. Chapter 8 - Ghost of Presents Past

I shouldn't go looking for answers with the dead. I knew it was a bad idea but I sat up from my bed, anyways.

Another dream, I was awoken from. From the things that I've seen since being with Guardians Paranormal. Nightmares also chased me from sleep the night I found out I was the anchor.

But, this dream was different. It wasn't the dream of the victims I've seen - but a dream of someone I wouldn't expect to be a victim.

Jack.

It scared me - what I saw. He was in a lab, tied to a table and someone was electrocuting him with a probe. When I awoke, I only heard his screams.

 _It wasn't Jack - it wasn't Jack. This is just a dream._

Or maybe, it was the other Jack I saw - Oliver. I thought about the vision I saw from Zel's mind. The twins in that memory and I knew without a doubt, it was the reason Jack dealt with the paranormal.

Oliver and Jack.

They were twins. But, where was he now? Jack didn't talk about his family, there was no history of his family. And then, Zel's warning - maybe no one was suppose to know about them.

I needed answers. And maybe, there was a place to get them.

I sat crossed-legged on my bed, delving into the world just beyond the living. Not quite the bridge between death, but the space spirits could roam.

Nothing happened as I waited in the dark for someone to appear.

"Jack?"

There was no response, so I tried to materialize him. I pictured Jack and he began to appear in front of me. But his image slipped, like water and oil, he separated from the darkness and I tried to refocus his being.

Jack's image faded again and again, I almost gave up in exhaustion. It was never this hard to find him before.

There was a tug on my world, suddenly. It felt like someone was trying to come into it. Confused, I watched as the world flickered and suddenly, someone was here. Not who I had tried to bring here though, it was another soul.

I was rendered speechless at the person who stood in front of me. A part of me had always known that he might be here - how could he pass on after being so tormented?

"Dad," I spoke the words but they were soundless.

"Hiccup, you need to stop doing this." He frowned. I was thankful that he had no reminder of his death on his body. But his eyes were soulless and dull, his face looked as if he didn't have any spirit left - given that he was one himself.

"But I can help -"

"You're not helping anyone," he cut me off. Dad's face was so sad. Perhaps, he was sad to see his son like this.

"Those who dwell here know the anchor exists - they are willing to do whatever it takes to get to you," dad warned when I didn't say anything.

"No, I'm helping people here. You don't know what I can do." I almost willed the darkness to shift around me. To show him the peace I can bring to those who wanted it.

I almost took him to Pitch Black - my other half. The half that kept me connected to this world.

Dads face paled and his ghost eyes went wide. He didn't want to be sent there - not yet.

I stopped, the shifting halted and we stood on the still void.

"Please, son, don't come here anymore," he begged.

Then I woke up.

Was he telling the truth? Or was he just saying that to scare me? I went there looking for answers, and maybe that's what I found.

^.^

"This is a surprise," I said in a way of greeting Jack. He looked out of place standing in front of his Mercedes, dressed in a dark blue dress pants and a very well fitted light blue dress shirt. He had on a pair of sunglasses, blocking those light jewels, but I could imagine them flickering with an excitement that matched his grin.

He had text me during lunch, telling me he would be here to pick me up.

I felt scruffy next to him and his fancy car. My whole world looked scruffy compared to him. I threw my backpack in the back and he walked around to the driver side.

"So what's with the pick up? I am capable of coming to work on time," I buckled up.

"I'm curious if you know where this." He handed me a neatly folded paper. I looked at the name on it.

"Yeah, this is a popular camping spot. Why? Are you taking a case out there?" I hadn't remember seeing any new cases coming through that Jack had considered.

His mood changed when we pulled away from the school. A sudden shift that caused him to grip the steering wheel, tighter. His eyes were still covered by the shades, but I could almost see the intent of his eyes on the road. On whatever destination we were about to embark.

I noticed, however, he was taking us a roundabout-way to my place.

"Jack?"

"Hm?" He gave me a one over look, as if he forgot that I was sitting beside him.

"Did you come here looking for something?"

Jack took a moment to consider the question, "I came here looking for someone."

"Like, a someone - the someone?" I asked, confused and blushed.

"No, nothing like that. I'll be honest, Hic, I don't really like talking about this with anyone."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. But at the same time, I hated that when I was at my lowest, he continued to help pull me back. And I couldn't do the same for him.

"You still owe me two thoughts," I gave him a sidelong glance.

"Not today."

I tried not to let the bit in his words bother me. He was just having a bad day - intensified by whatever - whoever - we were looking for right now. Whoever he was thinking of right now. I kept thinking of what I could do to help him - to show him that I wanted to help him too.

His older words pierced my mind on our first car ride.

' _When I look at you, I want to help you.'_

Swallowing hard, I said. "My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was six, it was too late to save her and she passed away a year later. I started dreaming about her, and until now, I thought they were just dreams. But, I think I wanted her back so much that I willed her to me, and by doing that, I willed something else to me. Something that I never wanted."

I clasped my hands in my lap. It didn't matter if Jack didn't hear any of this. I needed to get it out.

"I missed her so much I wanted that to be real. And I truly believed she missed me too."

"Hic, you don't have to tell me anything"

"I want to. I think I need to, Jack." I looked over at him, his eyes were a soft shade of blue as he glanced over at me, putting down his shades.

"I wanted to think it was her fault, that she did that to him - tormented my father. But he was the one that couldn't let go and it was worst for him than I could have ever thought. He lost his world, his best friend, his lover - she was everything to my dad. I think something dark followed her to me and presented itself as her. That thing fed off my dad and it finally won when he decided to shoot himself that night. I was in the same room when he did it, tried to stop him, called the police and begged him to stay with me. But, he was too far gone."

"I'm really sorry you had to see that," Jack said, "no one should ever have to see that."

I breathed in, deep and shaking. "If I didn't I wouldn't be able to do this."

 _I wouldn't be able to touch your mind...like this..._

It was barely a whisper, took me hardly half a thought to send the silent message through on a dark path. Then, outside of the car, darkness swirled around us. Fast and soothing, it blurred into a figure - Toothless. He ran beside the car and jumped out in front, opening his membranous wings and began soaring before he disappeared.

Jack pulled off the road, his eyes wide, "you're the anchor."

It wasn't a question. I thought maybe, he would be the first person I could tell. The first person I could confide in about these strange abilities.

Had he known this whole time? What the anchor was, or what it did? I didn't answer. I didn't need to, because Jack leaned back in his seat running a hand through his hair.

"I've been looking for my brother."

^.^

"A brother?"

Jack didn't respond, so I asked. "A twin brother? His name is Oliver, right?"

"Did Zel tell you?" He sounded harsh.

"No, I learnt by myself. I think - I think I've been seeing him."

"You would, because he's dead," Jack gripped the wheel, averting his eyes out the window. I needed to pull him back. In the most boldest move I've ever done, I reached across the counsel for his hand.

"I can help you. Just let me in, Jack," I let go of his hand, gently touching his chin and he faced me. He didn't say anything, he didn't need too. I refused to look away from him, refused to leave him alone anymore.

We needed each other. He was the light to my darkness.

He broke the contact first, lowering his head. I shifted to get closer to him.

"You can't help me Hiccup. I'm too fucked up."

"Don't say that. If it's your brother you're looking for let me help you find him."

"I don't want you to see that side of me." He confessed.

"Does anyone else know?" I pulled back. I didn't want to watch him break in front of me, and I could tell he wanted to keep his pride. Jack had a lot of pride.

"Zel knows."

I nodded quietly. It went without saying, I wouldn't tell anyone about Jack. About what I learnt from him.

"I owe you two thoughts, right?" He said in a low voice.

I felt a smile tug at my lips, "yeah, something like that."

"I think I need you, Hiccup. And I want you so much that I'm scared if you ever see the real me, you'll never want to see me again." He said quietly in the car.

 _A confession._

"I need you too, Jack."

We didn't say anything for the rest of the ride. Even though I had burning questions about the anchor and his brother - his past. I didn't ask, didn't feel like it was right for me to ask after everything.

I had a feeling that I would have a lot more chances to get to know Jack. To understand his darkness and to understand my own - to understand the anchor. I didn't notice that he he pulled up to my house until we stopped. Jack watched me, quietly.

"You must be curious about how I know about the anchor," he read my thoughts.

"Of course, but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Not entirely a lie - I was burning to know more about it. But, not at the cost of watching Jack break.

"If you're truly the anchor, then you're capable of great things, Hiccup."

He sounded like Pitch Black. He also said I was capable of great things with his help.

"Oliver was the anchor," it was barely a whisper. I leaned forward, hearing my heart pounding in my ears.

"You two had the same powers, does that mean you were too?" I asked, also quite. I didn't know if their power sharing was confidential information, or maybe he just knew that I somehow would have known. He didn't say anything about it though.

Jack shook his head, "no. I didn't have the same skills as him. Our abilities were, different - dark. I harbored the power but only Oliver could use it."

"Do you remember anything about what it was like?" I remembered the warning of my dad and added, "any kind of warnings I should know?"

"I don't really remember much. Just that he was able to do things with the power of being connected to the other side and help spirits pass on by being the anchor."

I understood, but I felt disappointed. He might have been the one person with answers that could help me.

Then, I remembered, that the one person with answers, might still be able to help me.

 _Oliver._

"We have a new case tomorrow. I'll see if Merida can come get you so you don't have to drive to the city on your own. Since it's Friday tomorrow, you can stay for the weekend to help with the case. I'll have you back home on Sunday night." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you for tonight. It's been a long time since I could just sit and enjoy someone's company," Jack leaned forward, his eyes shining like stars.

I know what he felt - I felt the same. As bizarre as this was, I couldn't imagine not ever being able to meet Jack. Maybe it was fate - even though I didn't believe in it. Or maybe, it was just us and who we were - what we have lived through. I didn't know exactly what happened to Jack and his brother, but I had a feeling that it was very traumatic. That's what lead him to me - we needed to heal each other.

"Goodnight, Jack."

"G'night, Hic."

I didn't want to tear my gaze from his eyes, but I saw a flicker of concern in them. Like, he knew I would go looking for Oliver and when I did, I might know everything he was afraid would push me away.

 _'It won't push me away.'_ I said silently to him and slowly slid out of the car.

Tonight was another night I would spend trying to find Oliver.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Alright, so this chapter was a little different. Just focusing more on Hiccup and Jack - looking into this strange Oliver character.

See you in the next case!

And, please review, favorite and follow!

Cassie.


	9. Chapter 9 - Eternal Grief

**Warning:** There is MATURE content in this chapter.

^.^

The team was already set up by the time Merida and I got to the house. It was on the far east side of the city, and was a small, white picket fenced house. You wouldn't think anything evil would live here and I was confused further when I walked inside - I only sensed something very faint.

"Where's Zel?" I asked as we met up with Bunny and Jack in the base room.

"She's away for business back in the United States. So, we'll have to manage without her." Jack said and focused on the cameras again.

"What's the story on this place?" Now, I turned to Merida.

"The family has experienced some paranormal activity since the death of their eldest son. Things like moving furniture and hearing voices. The youngest son has began acting strange shortly after the death of his brother."

Nervously, I glanced at Jack. His face was pure marble, porcelain and hard. If this case did upset him, he showed no signs of it.

"We can't say anything for sure. Not without evidence." Jack cut in, leaning up from the monitors and walked out of the room.

"He sure is cranky today." Bunny grumbled and I laughed nervously.

"Don't let him get to you. Come on, show me around the place." I said to Merida and we walked out of the room.

It did feel weird in here. I definitely couldn't place the odd feeling, but I didn't know if it was because of spirits or something else. I wasn't trained enough to fully get a feel for the difference, if there was one. But, this house definitely felt like it lost something important.

The house was bigger than it looked, open concept and ranch style. It was a mixture old and modern, the furniture was elegant and matched the rest of the ranch decor. On the main floor, there was a small guest room - which we now used as a base room, and a bathroom. The upper level had four large rooms. Hiro had a room, with an adjacent en suite washroom that was Jack and Jill style to his brothers room.

Their parents room was at the end of the hall and one room was used for an office.

After the tour, the family invited us for supper with them. Merida declined politely, to watch the cameras, but the rest of us joined them.

"Where's Hiro?" Bunny asked curiously.

"Since Tadashi's death, Hiro has been quite distant. He won't be joining us for dinner." The mother said. Her name was Tasha and had dark brown hair and green eyes. The father, Mark, had light brown eyes and dark, jet black hair.

"It's been very hard for him." He said, pushing up his dark framed glasses. Both worked at the Technical Institute, a university in the city. Tasha was a lab technician and Mark was a professor. I had to quickly read up on the case-file before dinner, so I knew some of the basics about the family.

"Tell me about your eldest son." I smiled at them, kindly. The couple was young, but even so, you could tell they were in love. When she moved, he moved. I found it fascinating - to feel their connection buzz through the room.

"Tadashi, our eldest, was in his fourth year of University. He's seven years older than Hiro. Tadashi was going to be an engineer, with plans to get his masters in robotics. He was at the lab one night, and it caught fire. Tadashi had made it out, but one of his colleges didn't, so he went back in to save her. Both of them died in the fire." Tasha breathed in deeply and shakily, trying to maintain her composure. Her husband smoothed her long, brown hair - gently cooing to her.

"I'm sorry about your loss. Your son sounds like a hero for what he did and what he sacrificed for someone else." Jack said to the young couple.

"He wasn't a hero. He was a fool," A young voice said. We all turned our attention to the teen boy, standing at the foot of the stairs. He was wearing a black hoodie and torn jeans. His hair was black, like his father's but his eyes were what I focused on.

They were like black pits - endless and emotionless.

"He did something that no one else would have done." Jack defended Tadashi.

Hiro snorted and rolled his eyes, "and look where that got him."

Without another exchange of words, he stormed upstairs.

I looked back at the young couple, and their heads were down. "He's lashed out at everyone ever since he lost his brother. They were very close, Hiro wanted to be just like Tadashi and become a robotic engineer too."

"Tasha, you mentioned over the phone, other than Hiro lashing out, he seemed to be acting odd. Can you explain?" Jack was finished with his plate and now began to pull out a small iPad that he flipped open on the table to write notes. He was all business, just like usual.

He didn't seem to care that this couple was deeply suffering from this ordeal. I found him being very pushy and on edge here, something that I didn't like. Especially when this family was so torn already.

Tasha ad Mark looked at each other, without needing to exchange words, the husband got up to collect our plates and begin washing them. I offered to help, while his wife told Jack the series of events.

"Hiro was completely devastated after learning what happened. A few days after the funeral, we began noticing strange things around the house. At first, it was just little things, like keys going missing and remotes being misplaced. Then, it turned into furniture being moved and terrifying events happening. We can hear footsteps all night long, and doors being slammed."

She paused to give Jack a moment to catch up. He nodded for her to continue.

"Hiro began acting out around the same time of the odd events. We would hear him talking to himself in his room, becoming more on edge and he even threatened a boy at school by saying he'll cast a curse on him. He's done poorly on his studies, started skipping school and missing work. It's just so unlike him, he's been completely withdrawn."

"He could be suffering from depression, and lashing out for attention, did you take that into consideration?" Jack asked.

Tasha nodded, "yes, we convinced him to see a doctor and a therapist. But each say that he's completely normal."

"Do the occurrences occur while he's in the house, or no?" Jack continued on.

"I-I don't really know."

"Do the occurrences happen during the day or at night?"

"I've never noticed at what time of day it occurs."

"Has Hiro -"

"Jack, stop." I placed my hands on the table firmly. He snapped his head over to me in the kitchen.

"Can't you see, this is upsetting her?" I gestured towards Tasha, who halfway through the interrogation began shaking.

"I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I like to have all angles of my investigations covered."

I finished off stacking the dishes into the dish washer and stormed off to the base room. Merida didn't say anything to me when I took a seat beside her, a silent gesture for her to go and get dinner and to leave me alone.

^.^

It bothered me that Jack was being so inconsiderate to this family. Was this how someone treated him when he lost his brother? Is this payback?

If so, it was completely wrong. And because he never talks about anything to anyone, it just festers within him.

I watched the monitors as Jack, Bunny and Merida finished up with their interviews and now were getting reads on the house for temperature. Our cameras would detect change too, but we liked to have backup.

I heard something on the camera in the living room and raised the volume, sticking on headphones for that particular area.

It sounded like scratching, I tried to lower any background noises and it blasted in my ears. I yelped and tore the headphones off, holding my ears. The sound was piercing, like claws on a chalkboard. It made my skin itch and my spine lock.

"How many of there are you?" Hiro said from the doorway, I snapped my head to him, I hadn't even seen him leave his room.

"Four, why?" I asked and he smiled, it was a cruel smile, one that didn't touch his black eyes. Without another word, he turned and began to leave the room.

"Hiro, what's going on? Are you doing this?" Hiro turned his head and gave me a blank stare, it was as if he was in some kind of trance. As if he was looking through me - it made my skin crawl. I stopped talking - stopped breathing and didn't say anything as he continued down the dark hallway.

Merida, Jack and Bunny rounded the corner from the kitchen.

"I can't place this feeling. It's like there's something here, but it's very faint. I think the best thing we can do is try to cleanse the home."

"You'll be performing a ritual?" I was a little excited. I had seen everyone else in action except her.

She nodded, "tomorrow morning, I can perform a ritual to cleanse the home." She looked at Jack for his approval and he uncrossed his arms.

"Do you what think, but I don't believe there are spirits here."

No one said anything, we just looked at each other as Jack continued on to the monitors and began making notes.

"So, we'll get started tomorrow then? I'll take the first watch." I offered and no one argued with me. Merida and Bunny left the room, leaving Jack and I behind. He was still standing by the monitors, making notes on a paper.

"Out with it." I said in a voice more harsh than I meant.

"I'm positive this place isn't haunted. There's something else happening here."

"Then what about all of the strange activity? Or the uneasy feeling we all get? How can you deny that?" I asked.

"Because, Hiccup, I've solved a lot of cases. This isn't a ghost, or a poltergeist." He spun around and faced me.

"Why are you being such an ass? Can't you see we're trying to help you solve this case?" I said from across the room. This wasn't the same person I had seen yesterday. The gentle and kind Jack, who was capable of feeling afraid.

His pupils flared, "if you're so opposed to how I run things, you're more than welcome to leave."

I felt like he slapped my across the face. My heart sunk, but I felt my temper rise.

"I may not know what I'm doing here, or have as much experience as you. But, at least I don't hide behind some mask. I let people see me, broken bits and all. Yes, I've stayed to help you, to pay you back for the camera. But, what about letting people see the real you? Because what if you let someone in, and they did see all of you?" I seethed.

"What if they saw everything, and still decided to walk away. Who would want to bother with that sort of mess."

He flinched.

The most prideful, successful man I'd known flinched. And I knew I hit too hard - and deep.

Too hard. Too deep.

"Jack," I said.

"I'm going out. Stay here and cleanse the place if you want."

When he left, the room felt more hollow than before.

^.^

I waited until Bunny took me off later in the night to try to contact any spirits here. It was a little unnerving, sitting in the room made for three, alone. But, I concentrated, focusing hard on that other realm.

When I opened my eyes I was there. The house was empty, I was beyond the world of substance and could see straight through the house. It was still, everyone was asleep.

And I didn't feel anything.

Which I found odd. Hadn't I just argued with Jack a couple of hours ago, about how there was something here? There wasn't so much as a stir in the night.

I decided to walk around, maybe that would change things. I walked up and down the house, sent Toothless to do a second check, and still hadn't felt anything.

"What's with this place." I murmured out loud to Toothless, he gave me a wide-eyed stare - he didn't know what was happening here either.

I knew I couldn't be blocked.

So why wasn't I getting anything?

^.^

I had basically spent my whole night looking for answers in that spirit realm and I woke up with bags under my eyes the next morning.

"Wow, you look like crap." Merida commented and I glared at her. She handed me a cup of coffee that she had just made.

"Thanks, I didn't think I could look as bad as I felt." I grumbled and took a gulp of the caffeine.

"I didn't see anything at all last night. Usually, in situations like this, spirits tend to stay away from outsiders." Bunny joined us, a cup in his hand too.

"I'm almost certain that's what's happening here. But, we'll know for sure when we begin our ceremonies." He said, draining the last of the liquid and setting the cup in the sink.

I could only nod. I didn't want to tell them that, since looking around last night, I didn't feel anything anymore. It was gone - this felt like a normal home.

Just like Jack had said.

No, I was going to prove that something was happening here. That is was a spirit.

Once 9 a.m. approached us, we all began to prepare for the cleanse.

Both the priestess and the monk were dressed in traditional styled robes. Merida's was a striking light blue hooded cloak, that flared at the arms and grazed the ground. She wore a golden sash around her tiny waist and it hung with the fabric of the skirt. There was a hexagonal pendant over her brow and her fiery, tameless hair was completely tied back beyond the blue hood. She was holding a staff with the same pendant hanging from the crook of it.

Bunny was also dressed in traditional robes, white in color that overlapped and a red sash tied at his waist. He wore matching white pants, cuffed at the bottom with red satin material.

"Let's get started," Merida said, grabbing a small tote she carried into the base room and we met Tasha and Mark outside in the living room.

"I'll take care of outside, lil' red." Bunny waved us off, took his charms and went outside. The young couple waited patiently for us and I wasn't surprised the little family were one person short.

Hiro was missing.

"I don't know where he could possibly be," Tasha said.

"It's alright. This is just a house cleanse. I'll be moving from room to room and we'll end the ceremony in the living room. You're more than welcome to join me. Hiccup, will keep an eye on the monitors." Merida turned to me and I nodded, making my way back to the base room.

The entire cleanse took and hour - and I didn't see any change on the monitors. There were no temperature drops, no motion detected, no EVP's (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). There was nothing.

It was like there truly wasn't any ghost's here, like Jack said. Just like in my dream.

Merida and Bunny met up with me in the base room.

"I think we drove it out." She said and Bunny nodded.

"Let's just see how the rest of the day goes." I told them and they gave me matching looks.

"You don't think we cleansed it?" Merida asked, noting the disapproval on my face.

"It's not that, it's just I think I agree with Jack - maybe there's nothing here."

Before I finished, we heard Tasha screaming from the kitchen and ran out of the room. She was crouched on the ground, clenching her ankle.

"S-something grabbed my foot." She sobbed, slowly letting go and I gasped at the sight.

Hand marks were burned into her skin.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" Bunny asked and she nodded, pointing to the pantry. Merida ran to it and came back, taking out gauze and burn pads. From the window, above the sink, I glanced outside. It looked out to the big backyard and a couple feet away, standing by the shed, I saw Hiro.

"I'll be right back." I said to no one in particular and slid out the back french doors, stepping onto the beautiful back deck.

I imagined there were many family BBQ's here. It was filled with such a joyous feeling and the calm breeze of spring truly made this area seem peaceful. But, something dark lingered and I stepped onto the well manicured lawn, towards the shed I saw Hiro at.

He was standing still, staring back at me as I approached him.

"Hiro?"

He slowly moved behind the shed, into the shadows. Hesitantly, I stepped towards him again.

"Hiro, what're you doing back here?" His hands were at his sides, clutching as he was chewing on something very loudly.

He was looking at me, but it was like no one was truly staring back at me - just like last night.

"What're you eating?" I glanced down on the ground at what dropped out of his hands - the body of a white mouse. It was mangled and twisted, twitching still, but mostly dead. Bile rose in my gut and I thought I would be sick.

Wide-eyed, I snapped my head up at Hiro. He began laghing, cocking his face towards the sky. A cruel and sinister laugh that escaped his mouth, was nothing I would have expected to hear from a teenager. My heart began pounding, as his laugh wrapped around me, dark and cruel.

It was truly sinister and I felt my body turn to ice.

"Hiccup, what are you doing?" Merida called from the house and Hiro snapped his head back towards me. His lips were pulled over his teeth, blood gleaming on his mouth from the rodent. His stare alone sent shivers through my spine, signalling my body to run - to get out of here or he'll kill me.

My heart dropped and I felt my face turn white as I stumbled back, away from from him. His hateful gaze followed me before I turned away and retreated as fast as I could to the house - to safety.

I was shaking when I came back to Merida, thankful for her coming to get me.

"Everything okay?" She asked when I reached her, shaking and panting. The urge to vomit and scream was strong and I willed it down - willed the sight of Hiro to disappear.

Even though, I was sure, I would never get that sight out of my mind.

"I don't know." I looked back at the shed.

The way he looked at me made me feel as if I was that mouse. As if I was nothing but a rodent that he could kill. His eyes were black pits of rot and hatred and I couldn't shake his stare - it haunted me.

Something was very wrong with Hiro.

^.^

 **Authors Note:**

This chapter was so creepy and fun to write. I loved the original concept of Hiro losing his brother and thought it fit right in.

Anyways, I just want you guys to know that I'll be taking a little break from now until the next chapter (about a week/half).

In the meantime, keep the reviews coming! I'm putting a lot of words into this story and not getting that many back. So it's very appreciated that you are reviewing, even once! And, thank you for following the story!

We'll see what kind of trouble Hiccup gets himself in - in about two weeks time.

Until then,

REVIEW, FAVORITE and FOLLOW!

Cassie.


	10. Chapter 10 - Standing in the Fire

**Authors Notes:**

Hello all! This chapter is super long to make up for the lost time! Thank you for reviewing in my absence, it's been a hectic couple of weeks so I'm happy to finally be able to get going with this! Anyways, I thought I would give some shutouts to my recent reviewers! You guys are all awesome and deserve to be known for it:

 **Masks of JM and JS:** Your reviews ALWAYS leave me with a smile on my face! Your theories are always so good and it's great watching you put the pieces together! And, you were totally right. Hiccup should have told his father off - but the way I see it is he's shocked to see him there. Stoick wasn't someone he was prepared to see so it was a giant wake up call. I see him as being a little confused, scared and lonely because he misses his dad!

 **Raxacoricofallapatoreous -** THANK YOU for those kind words! I always try to take pride in updating regularly. It bothers me when I can't get my chapters up on time (mostly an OCD thing) and I feel so bad for my readers and reviewers. Good on you for getting your sister on this journey!

 **Gemini Genim** \- What you're doing out there is beyond any words I can give you. You're giving your country hope and protection - thank you for being a great person and taking that responsibility! I't brought tears to my eyes, hearing that my story makes you happy (thank you for that!) and I can't wait for everyone to see how it continues! I have some real twists and turns ahead, hehehe.

 **Girlmixi -** Thank you for reviewing! I think your question is great and I don't mind saying. I got really swamped during my spring break with school. I finally have found some time to get look at this chapter and go through it. I'm glad you're liking the story so far!

 **Amara -** All of your comments are so kind! Thank you for those words of advice and encouragement! I hope you're still enjoying the progress, there's more to come!

^.^

I didn't know how to deal with this new bit of information that I had learnt. My mind wouldn't - couldn't - stop reeling from the encounter with Hiro. He was just about my age and yet he seemed so much darker. He seemed as if he lived in a world without any happiness. I felt sick - my whole body shook no matter how hard I tried to push past it and will it away.

I needed to tell Jack I realized. But every time I called his cell, it went straight to voicemail. I swore under my breath and began pacing as I took my frustrations outside. The family had a pretty front porch that was large enough to fit a swing on. After a few moments, Merida joined me at the front of the house.

"Where did Tasha go?" I already knew the answer, but to calm myself down, I asked anyways.

"Mark took her to the hospital. Those burn marks were no joke - something here is telling us to leave," Merida sighed. She was changed out of her priestess clothes now, wearing a tan sweater and black tights.

"We really need Jack," it was the truth. We were like a pack of wolves and missing our alpha.

"If you two are okay with it, I'm going to go check the office for him. If he's not there, he's at home."

"We'll be fine. Since, Mark and Tasha are going to be away for a while, it'll give us more time alone with the house and more time to figure out what's happening," I said and turned back towards the house - determined to get started.

"Speaking of which, Hiccup can we talk for a moment?" Merida instead grabbed my arm lightly before turning and heading towards the SUV in the driveway. Without a choice, I followed her, confused. She had 'rescued' me earlier from Hiro and since I hadn't been able to form a proper sentence after the ordeal maybe she was worried.

Merida rounded to the driver side of the SUV, arms crossed.

"Hiccup, we've worked with each other for a while now. I'd like to think we're all pretty close in these situations. But, earlier, when you went outside, you looked like you saw something that really disturbed you. What happened out there, and be honest." She leaned back, giving me space. I stared at her, wide-eyed. Her fiery blue ones stared back at me. "No BS."

"I can't explain." I ran a hand through my hair, averting from her gaze. It wasn't a lie - or the truth.

"Tell me what you saw, Hiccup. Please, I want to help you if I can."

"Okay," I took a breathe in and started from the beginning. "Jack wasn't convinced there was anything here and I wanted to prove him wrong. But, when I - uh - projected myself, I didn't see anything. Then, after Tasha was attacked, I saw Hiro outside. He wasn't acting normal either - it's like there's no one staring back at me when I look at him. I -I can' explain it, but seeing him back there, I know deep inside of me that this house isn't haunted. I think something is wrong with him and, this may sound crazy, that's why all this is happening."

After my explanation was out, Merida continued to stare at me. Carefully analyzing what I had said. This was most definitely human induced - something Jack had started to piece together at the very beginning.

"You have some very strong abilities and you haven't been wrong so far. I believe what you're saying and if it's something human induced maybe that will help us solve this case." She stepped towards the driver side of the SUV and opened the door.

"I'm sure I know where Jack is - so you and Bunny hold down fort, alright?" She climbed into the seat and I nodded. There was a feeling of relief that lifted off my shoulders - a feeling I thought I had made up. That, maybe, it was all in my head and it wasn't real.

Maybe I had made it up to make it feel like I wasn't so different. To avoid having to explain why I thought what I did and why it didn't make sense. But, Merida didn't treat me like I was different or strange. In fact, she treated me like I would imagine a big sister would. All of them had made me feel like I was part of this team. They embraced my 'gifts' and maybe I had to embrace them a little more.

I had to start believing in myself a little more.

"Merida?" I asked just before she was about to close the door.

"Thank you, for saying that. It means a lot to me - you make me feel like I'm not so...different. Or crazy." I smiled up at her and she winked back.

"Aye, Hiccup, you are a little different - we all are. That's how we all found each other." She pulled out her retro shades.

I grinned, "even Bunny? You two seem like you never get along."

"He can be a pain in the arse every now and then, but at the end of the day he's a great guy. Although, don't get him singin' at karaoke - he'll have your ears a' ringin and give you a headache."

"You guys all go out?" I was intrigued and Merida grinned.

"Aye; Anna, Bunny, Zel and I all go out once in awhile, even Jack goes too. It's a nice way to leave all this stuff in the office, you know?" I only nodded before she glanced at her phone and flipped it open, talking coolly to whoever was on the other line. She kindly waved me off and I watched her drive out of the small street. I felt bad, I hadn't ever tried to get to know these people because to me it was just a job I had to do. I needed to pay back for the camera I broke. And, besides Jack, I wasn't interested in getting to know Merida and Bunny. These people were just my co-workers, and building bonds wasn't something I had ever been good at. That, and I didn't know how long I would be around. It was my weakness to push people out so I could protect myself.

Perhaps, it was time to change that. I got the feeling, if things kept up the way they did, I would be around them for a long time.

^.^

Once I came back inside, Bunny was sitting at the monitors. He stretched out and looked back at me lazily as I sat on a couch by the door. Being back inside of the house, my previous dark thoughts began to swirl within my mind. Things like how Hiro could be involved in this or if it had something to do with his brother. It bothered me that I couldn't see anything last time I went into the spirit realm.

"What's bothering you, mate?" Bunny noticed my frustrated look.

I took a breath in, "you remember in the first case, where you guessed you may have been blocked?" He nodded at the memory.

"What did that feel like?"

"It's hard to explain. It was like, seeing through a cup of water. You could see something - knew something was there, but you just couldn't see it clearly. Why?" He asked, leaning back into the seat.

"I-I know I'm not as experienced as any of you, but this place seems to be messing with me. I can't seem to see anything." I confessed.

"Look here, Hiccup. Two things you need to understand, one, you have just as much psychic abilities here as any of us. Think of all the work you were able to do on our last cases - that's raw and pure talent. And two, because you're talented you can get through this. I think, if anyone can figure this out, it is you. And Jack, of course. Merida and I are here for our own talents in our professions and, believe it or not, so are you."

I choked on a laugh, "it's weird though, how this all worked out."

"All things in this profession are, as you said, 'weird'. No workin around that one." Bunny chuckled to himself.

"Now, it seems you perform best when you're meditating or dreamin', right? Leave worrying about Jack and the other logistics to good ol' Bunny. Try to clear your thoughts and you'll see it can have an affect your sixth sense."

"You're sure? You don't want me to watch the monitors or anything?" Bunny waved me off and turned back around to face the screens.

"Have a good nap, Hiccup. One of us deserves it."

Bunny was right, I realized. I needed to just clear my head from everything happening. My stress was interfering with my ability to connect to that other side.

However, I remembered what I had thought earlier about getting to know everyone a little more and hesitated on the door for a moment.

"Bunny, do you have any family back in Australia?"

"Mum and dad are back in Perth. I'm an only child though. Why do you ask?" He turned back to face me.

"I'm just curious at what made you want to do this - to be so far away from them and join the monk hood?"

His eyebrows dropped, "it was a healthier lifestyle than the one I was livin' at the time. I guess you could say it's a way to repay for my past sins." Bunny's voice shuddered as he was lost in a memory. But, he snapped out of it pretty quick and smiled up at me.

I couldn't imagine Bunny doing anything beyond what his faith had defined - couldn't imagine what he had done to make him feel so regretful. I realized, I didn't want to - didn't want to see him in any other way than I knew him now. If he told me, I would listen, but I wouldn't go digging. We all had a past, I realized.

"Merida says you're not very good karaoke; she says your singing made her ears hurt." I smirked and his eyes brightened at the thought.

"Oh, mate, you'll have to come along to Rita's one of these days and hear for yourself whose singin' is worst." He grinned, widely.

I felt my face brighten, grinning I said. "Yeah, I would like that."

^.^

As I walked upstairs, I made sure to pass Hiro's room - just to check if he was here. The door was closed so I carefully pressed my ear up against it, but didn't hear anything. I took that as a good sign and continued to my room. It was still a little unnerving seeing the third bed which had been completely unused - I hoped Merida could find Jack.

I realized now that I pushed too hard - I owed it to him to apologize. He was the first to even think that somehow Hiro was involved.

However, I didn't spare him any more thoughts as I dove into that world. It become like second nature now - almost like breathing. One moment, I was in the living and the next I was here, among those who were lost.

I hadn't ever had the nerve to visit Pitch on that dark plane, though. Since the last case, I wasn't able to bring him those last two souls - Elsa's parents - and I wondered if he was mad. What would he do to me if he was? I shivered from the thought, truly not wanting to go back to that realm unless he pulled me there. And since I hadn't been summoned by my mysterious other half, I took it that I was not needed.

At least, for now.

That didn't matter right now, though - this did. I felt that small bit of spirit that I projected into the other realm leave my body. Toothless' green eyes materialized from the darkness in the corner of the room before he was by my side and I reached my hand out to touch him. His scales felt dry and I scratched his large head before pulling back.

"There's something here and we need to find it." I watched his green eyes respond to me before they darted towards the sound of another voice.

"You won't find it." I spun around, not expecting anyone to be here since last time there wasn't.

Oliver stood in front of me - looking just as I remembered. Maybe a little more disheveled than usual. His black tunic was still perfect, but his hair seemed more ruffled and his eyes more lifeless. Now that I knew he was Jack's twin, I could see the differences. Small things like his clothes and how he posed himself. I could sometimes see Jack had a flaw in his outward appearance - as if he wanted to be less poised and more laid back. But instantly, that would disappear and be replaced with his favorite mask.

His twin, however, seemed to fit those shoes better. I had the feeling, suddenly, that Jack had never intended to wear a mask - that maybe it was more of a necessity.

I frowned at Oliver though, it seemed typical the one time I actually hadn't been trying to summon him, here he was - it irked me a little.

"How convenient you decide to come around, I've only been trying to contact you for days now." Oliver cracked a smile, but it never touched his eyes. Not the way Jack smile and it lit his blue jewels.

"You learn a few tricks when you're here long enough. I wasn't lying when I said you won't find anything here," he frowned and turned from me. Toothless moved away and turned into the dark mist - ready for when I needed to call for him.

"It's like any spirit here have the ability to completely become invisible. I only sensed it twice and just as I tried to locate it, it was gone."

"Is it a spirit? Or could it be something else?" I walked over to him. The world hadn't restricted our vision and the walls were no longer made of any substance, which allowed us to see all of the interior of the house freely. Below us, Bunny was monitoring in the base room - he and I were the only living beings in the house.

"I don't know."

Just then, someone entered the house - Hiro. He came in through the front door, Oliver and I walked downstairs, watching him as he rushed to the sink and began scrubbing at something intently.

"What's he up to?" I whispered and Hiro spun around, his eyes wide.

And, for once, they looked as if they were full of emotion. Brown, tear-filled eyes widened. Fear and dread colored his face as he scanned the room and turned back around. Oliver placed a finger over his mouth, signalling me to stay quiet. He stared intently at Hiro and we slowly ducked behind a wall.

Somehow, Hiro was able to sense this world - hear it and possibly see it.

I stayed quiet, as he continued scrubbing at his hands before placing them in his black sweater pockets. It was soaked by the time he reached the stairs, and Bunny came out of the base room, walking up to Hiro.

"You know your parents are at the hospital, your mum was really hurt." Bunny's voice was a mix of tight and stern - like he was scolding Hiro.

"And?" Hiro answered harshly. There was a shift in his demeanor - those black pits were again, dark and emotionless.

"What's wrong with you, kid? You should make sure she's okay. I've watched you, seen how you act. I don't think you understand just how worried they are about you." Bunny crossed his arms.

"You don't know anything about me. You, and the rest of those people they brought, are making things much worse. If you want things to get better, then you need to leave us alone." The dark teen warned, his tone dripping venom.

"Are you the reason this is happening? The reason your parents are still suffering so much? Look, kid, your parents are doin' everything they can for you. They are trying to help you heal from this. But you treat them like complete garbage. You treat Tadashi like complete garbage for what he did. You mock him 'cause he risked his life for someone, but you've never been in his shoes before. You mocked everyone who called him a hero because you can never understand the feeling of putting someone else first. You're a selfish little brat who can't see past his own grief."

There was a thick feeling surrounding the air. Something thick and sticky - it coated my skin. Made me feel like I was heavy and pushed on my chest.

"There it is." Oliver said, but I couldn't hear anything else past the pounding of my skull. A dark shadow engulfed Hiro - no, it was attached to him. It morphed from dark purple to black, like waves - like it was breathing and alive.

Between Bunny and Hiro, there were no more exchange of words and Hiro spun around, darting up the stairs. But that thing stayed glued to him like a parasite.

I wanted to follow, when I tried though, Oliver struck out an arm, holding me back.

"Tell Jack he's not dealing with a spirit or a haunting," Oliver said in a low voice.

"This is something far more sinister."

^.^

He didn't tell me what though. Because the moment he spoke, the world began to swirl together - someone was waking me up.

But, I wasn't prepared to see Hiro standing over top the bed. His black, pits for eyes stared back at me.

"What are you doing?" I couldn't keep the tremble from my voice and glanced at the camera, praying it was on - praying Bunny would see us.

"It's off." Hiro said blandly.

"What do you want?" I wasn't talking to Hiro - I understood that as a fact now. That teenager, the fearful one I saw briefly downstairs was no longer here - no longer existed.

"You need help, Hiro." I started to say slowly and that sinister laughter began to fill the room. Hiro cocked his head back, his lungs filling with air as he drew out the last of the cruel laugh. It reminded me of this afternoon, when he was eating that mouse.

I needed to get out of here - needed to go to Bunny. And tell Jack what I had seen.

"You're all the help I've been looking for - you're the anchor," the owner of the cruel voice said. It wasn't Hiro, he was just the vessel - the body for something dark to control.

I couldn't understand it earlier, because I wouldn't have ever guessed - Hiro was possessed.

That endless stare held me like dark tendrils. There was no way anyone who hadn't known me (or heard from me) that I was the anchor - just no way. He couldn't have known and yet he did.

He had to have known because he must have seen me in that realm.

"You're going to help me come back to the living," a voice coated with venom caressed me, spiking the fear in me. It took all my power to will my mind to think - I needed to get out of here.

"Like hell," I threw the pillow at him, square in the face and flew off the bed - racing for the door. Hiro didn't try to catch me though, he stayed in the room and all I heard as I ran down the stairs was his laughter.

"Hiccup, what's gotten into you?" Bunny exclaimed, rising from his seat when I burst through the door and braced myself on my knees, breathing in deeply - trying to slow my heart rate.

"Have you heard from Merida?"

"She text me about a half hour ago, they'll be here any minute now."

"And the parents?" I asked eagerly.

"Probably back later in the evening, what's wrong?"

"This might sound crazy - like really out there. But, I think Hiro is possessed. In my dream, I saw something on him. And he was acting strange this afternoon, I know it sounds crazy but I think that's what's happening here." I explained.

"It's not crazy, it would make sense. If Hiro has been possessed by something that would explain why things have gotten so bad around here -" He didn't get the chance to finish over the sudden screeching. Both of us covered our ears, looking for the sound which was coming off the earphones plugged into the monitors. Just like last night.

Bunny lunged for the controls and flicked the volume switch off. As the sound died, from above us, there was shuffling, like something was being slid across the floor. The smell of rotten meat filled my nostrils, and I resisted the urge to gag. There were three loud banging noises when the monitors simultaneously began flicking on and off, until they turned into static.

My heartbeat quickened as the lights flickered on and off, adding to the intensity of the noise. Bunny ruffled in his tailored jacket and extracted a charm.

"Take this," he handed the paper to me and lifted another one up, for himself. The door started chattering, as if someone was trying to turn the handle. Over and over again, it got faster and more intense until I thought the door would break from the pressure.

During the last case, I had been able to summon Toothless to this world. But, every time I tried, I lost the concentration - kept hitting that wall of fear.

"When I say the incantation, you need to run. Get outside to the street." Bunny said over the noises and, without warning the door swung open. I jumped back, but Bunny launched into his incantation. A flurry of words left his lips and I made a run for it as a white light sparked in front of me. I half expected to run into Hiro - but nobody was there.

It reminded me of our first case, where I ran from the demon in the park. When it had the power to manifest itself to me. I hated that I had to power to protect everyone and couldn't do it.

I didn't' stop until I was across the road and down the block, my lungs were screaming for air as a pair of car headlights filled the quiet street. The black Mercedes rolled up to me.

Some part of me wanted to scream at him - to tell him he was a coward for leaving us behind. But, that's what got us into this mess to begin with. A wave of dizziness washed over me and the world turned upside down for a moment, I fell back, landing on the grass and Jack was out of his car.

"Jesus, Hic, what happened?" He kneeled over me, keeping me up with his steady grip.

"There was an attack - a spiritual one. Bunny stayed inside and told me to leave. Jack, you were right." I looked into those blue eyes and even though it was only a day without seeing them, it felt like much longer.

"Oliver told me this wasn't a haunting - Hiro is causing all of this to happen."

"Come on, let's get you up." Jack said instead, helping me to the car.

"What about Bunny? We should make sure he's okay."

"We're going back, but get in the car and just take a moment to calm down."

He helped me to the passenger side, making sure I was in before shutting the door and walking around to the driver side.

"I wish I could have helped more. This place has been messing with me and I can't get any solid grasps on what's happening." I looked down at my hands. Jack pulled off the middle of the road and parked on the street, in front of the house.

"I know you would have, but Bunny and Merida are more skilled in defensive incantations. Maybe, if you ask, they'll teach you a thing or two."

"Your not surprised I saw Oliver?" I peeked at him from the corner of my eye.

"No, I had a feeling he never passed on. And every time I tried to contact him, he eluded me." Jack leaned back in his seat, turning his head and stared at me. That sounded like Oliver though, since he was able to elude me on more occasions than one. Jack leaned his head on his seat, and I had to admit he stilled looked handsome, even though he looked disheveled; almost like Oliver had. His usual perfect hair was laying flattened on his head, his clothes were simple, no tunics or fancy suit jackets. He was wearing a white long sleeve and a pair of dark slacks.

"I shouldn't have lashed out at you," he said, slowly. "I'm sorry about what I said, yesterday."

"I'm sorry too - I said some really terrible, selfish things to you. I'm really sorry - I didn't mean it," I turned to face him. He was looking at me, but I could tell his mind was somewhere else. "Well, I meant it more about myself than you. And I'm sorry."

"You were right, though. I stayed away because you were right and I was pissed off - even though it drove me mental, staying away from you."

We were silent again, and I studied the lines on his face. He wasn't lying, I could tell he must have stayed up all night to keep his mind busy.

I was about to speak when something caught our attention: the silver Nissan pulling into the driveway. Hiro's parents were back. My heart sunk as Jack opened the door - I joined him instantly as we walked over to the young couple.

This couldn't get any worse, I thought. Just what we needed; them to be back here and to get into anymore harm's way. But, this was their house and they had every right to be here. I felt sick, though, seeing Mark go over to the passenger side and help Tasha out. It was beautiful, how much their love radiated off them.

"Jack, is everything okay?" Tasha sounded sincere as we approached them.

"I heard about the incident and I am very sorry. If there's anything I can help compensate you for, please let me." Jack smiled at the young couple and it was truly sincere.

"It's all right, thank you for that though." Tasha looked between us. "Is everything alright? Where is Hiro? Is he he home?"

"He is, but I'm afraid this case has began to take a turn for the worst. My team and I strongly believe that the house itself isn't haunted. Since I don't want what happened this afternoon to be repeated, I have to ask, if you're willing, to leave the house for tonight"

Mark and Tasha shifted uncomfortably as Jack continued.

"I'll pay for your stay at the nearest hotel, or whichever hotel you two prefer. We believe there is a very strong demonic presence here and want to try to expel it."

"What about Hiro?" Mark didn't miss Jacks implication - a hotel for just the two of them.

Jack stepped towards the couple, gently herding them and looking away from the house. I followed, closely behind them.

"This may sound startling; very startling, so you have to believe me when I say that I don't think Hiro is sick. I think he's in desperate need of help."

"Oh, Hiro," Tasha cooed sadly and glanced back at the house, then towards me. Tears brimmed her eyes and I couldn't imagine what it felt like - the horror of not knowing what was wrong with your child. Or what would happen to them. She was afraid - scared for Hiro and what could happen to him.

"I think Hiro has gotten himself into something very dark and has gotten to the point where he has become dangerous. We may not have very much time left with him if we don't act fast."

Shock appeared on the young couples face as they looked at one another, then back at Jack.

"What do you mean, why don't we have much time with him?" Tasha asked, fearfully.

"Demonic possessions happen slowly; usually it's in the demons best interest to completely consume the vessel they are inhibiting. They will do that by isolating the victim so they feel alone and vulnerable. I think Hiro is in the very last stages of possession and if we don't act fast, he might become fully possessed and -" Jack stopped himself as Tasha began sobbing.

Mark continued to rub her back, pressing her close to him, "and what?" He urged Jack to continue. But, even his tone sounded broken.

"A-and demons don't care for becoming human. They care about taking human souls. If Hiro continues to stay possessed, I'm afraid the demon could push him to do something irreversible."

"You mean, the demon will kill him?" I asked and it was barley a whisper. I felt my knees buckle from the thought, a whirl of emotion slamming into my chest.

Jack nodded, grimly. "Yes, and the demon will consume the soul."

Tasha sobbed out loud, gripping Marks neck who held onto his dear wife tighter. "What do we do then?" His voice was shaken.

"We need to make sure this is a possession and try to coax the demon out. If that doesn't work - well, I know experts in demonology. They could help."

"Then we'll need to leave it to you, we'll do whatever you need us to do." Mark said, glancing down at Tasha who snapped her head up.

"No!" She cried.

"Darling, they need to do what they can to help him." Mark pleaded over her sobs. It was one of the most horrible things I had ever heard. Gut-wrenching and sad and full of grief.

It was then, that I remembered they had already lost a child. I stopped hearing everything around us, holding back my own tears as I watched Tasha grapple with the fact that she might be losing another child.

"My little boy!" She dropped to her knees and put her face into her hands. Mark sunk on his knees too, gently cooing reassuring words into her ear and rubbing her back. He looked up at Jack, sadness filling his eyes. Stubbornly, he held back the tears - scrunching his nose.

"Please, do what you can. We'll accept your offer and stay out of the way. Please, help our son," Mark pleaded, the words were shaky and broken.

A tear slipped from my eyes and I wiped it away. Watching them was painful; my chest hurt and my body felt so cold. I felt numb and had to walk away; afraid that numbness would freeze my core. I couldn't watch anymore because they reminded me of my parents - before mom was sick.

Visions flashed before my eyes of the last time I saw my mom healthy.

.::.

 _"Hiccup!" Astrid giggled, running over to Hiccup with her arms wide open and a grin on her face. They had been friends for a long time, even though she was a girl. She was better at sports and games than he was, but he enjoyed reading and learning new things at school. The both of them had a play date at his house and were sitting in the back yard._

 _"Yes, Astrid?"_

 _"I'm bored. Let's play a game!" The small blonde leaned across the wooden bench._

 _"What kind of game?" Hiccup put down his pencil, he was drawing a picture for his mom with some new colors he got from school._

 _"I know, we can pretend that we're vikings and we have to slay all the dragons to get out of the cave and find our way home or the dragons will kill us!" Hiccup made a face - Astrid always loved playing games that involved fighting or killing dragons._

 _"Or we can train the dragons." Hiccup suggested and Astrid frowned before jumping up onto the table._

 _"We still need to get out of the cave - where the dragons live. Or they'll eat us, so we need to escape." She made a motion, as if she was pulling out a sword from a sheath._

 _"Astrid," Hiccup whined, "you know I don't like playing those games!"_

 _"Okay, okay fine. Oh, loook!" The young blonde pointed to the porch._

 _Hiccup looked back and saw his parents; Valka and Stoick in each others arms, slowly dancing on the porch. Hiccups dad was a large, husky man - he had bulging biceps and chest. His red-brown beard was long and often used it as a tickle-machine when he play-wrestled with Astrid and Hiccup. Hiccup always knew his mom was pretty, and watching the way the sun light her up in her white, flowing gown - she looked like an angel. She had fair skin and long auburn hair - Hiccup was always told he looked like his mother. He had her eyes; the kind jade eyes that never stopped smiling._

 _Hiccup watched them move; they moved together, smoothly and fluidly. They were in love, he thought. And that's what love must look like. Beautiful and fluid._

 _The youngsters watched a little longer, giggling at the performance. And when Stoick and Valka kissed, both Hiccup and Astrid made gagging noises._

 _"That's gross!" Astrid accused and crossed her arms._

 _"What're you two hoodlem's up to?" Stoick shouted across the small yard, grinning from ear to ear._

 _"We're not 'hooded-lims'" Astrid, still standing on the bench, now pointed at Stoick. "We're children!"_

 _Both Valka and Stoick burst out laughing. But something changed when Hiccups mom clenched at her stomach, gasping as if she had been kicked. Her legs gave out on her and she fell on the wooden porch. Stoick was by her side, lifting her up gently._

 _Hiccup and Astrid ran over, to make sure she was okay._

 _"Mommy?" Hiccup gently touched her hand, she looked up at him, tears streaming from her eyes and her lower lip quivered._

 _"Oh, my boy. I'm sorry." She sniffled._

 _"Mommy, what's wrong?"_

 _"Darling, I'm so sorry." Hiccups mom sobbed, grabbing him and hugging her son. She kissed the top of his head over and over, sobbing hard. It shook her entire body and Hiccup felt scared. He didn't know why she was so upset or why she was crying. The only thing he knew was to hug her back and maybe that would help take away mommy's pain._

 _"It's okay, mommy. Everything will be okay," Hiccup said sweetly._

 _..::.._

Jack shook my shoulder gently and I jumped, taken out of the memory.

That was the day I found out about her cancer - I blinked away the tears and looked away from Jack's peering baby blue ones. My heart slammed into my chest as the emotions from the memory ran through my veins. I was too young to understand in that moment, exactly what she was sorry for. It hurt that I had no idea how much pain she was in. And yet, she was afraid for me - just like Tasha. A mothers love, I realized.

"They'll stay at nearest hotel, are you okay?" I nodded, running a hand through my hair, gripping it tightly.

"I hope we can help them. Seeing her like that is...painful. God, I feel bad for this family - they don't deserve this," I whispered and Jack leaned closer to me, rubbing soothing circles into my back.

"I know, I want to help them too, and we'll do everything in our power to," he said and I lowered my head. Emotions were swirling around, and I took several jagged breathes to try to calm myself down. I would do what ever I needed to make sure this family found peace. They didn't deserve to suffer anymore - even Hiro was suffering, but he didn't know it.

I clenched my hands at my sides, anger pushing aside my sorrow and fear.

With Jack back, we would be able to help this family. That thing possessing Hiro wanted me for something. Now, I was ready for it. I was ready to show it the power I possessed being the anchor.

A thought rose in the back of my mind, what if it was here for me? No, it wasn't. It was feeding off this family's grief - I was just a bonus. And, if it still wanted me; still needed me, I would be there.

Then, I would drag it back to hell.

^.^


	11. Chapter 11 -In My Veins

**Authors Notes:** There is MATURE content in this chapter!

^.^

I wouldn't dare admit this, but having Jack around again made me feel safe - more in control.

With him back, it felt like we could get through anything, and it would be okay.

Night fell upon us as we went back inside and I was surprised at the extensive damage done to the small base room. Our monitors looked fine, but the book cases had all fallen over and there were scratch marks carved into the wood - as if something was desperately trying to get in.

"Ah, nothin' to worry about, just some minor backlash," Bunny was sitting in the small base room, leaning back in his seat. I let out a shaky, relieved laugh; seeing that Bunny was in good spirits after the attack made me feel relieved, but couldn't he clean up a little bit?

"I see you've come to 'ur senses, mate," he addressed Jack, who grinned.

"Glad to hear my absence was a punishment." He gave me a sidelong glance, his feline eyes were brimming with amusement. I preferred this Jack - the fun loving one - to the serious, poised mask he loved to wear.

"Any ideas on what's goin' on here?" Bunny stood up and followed us out of the room. We rounded the corner to the living room, Merida was pacing in the middle of it.

"How could it have gotten this bad?" She shook her head.

"I think we all agree that something has taken over Hiro," Jack said to the group, taking a seat on the couch and I joined him. Bunny took a seat across from us.

"Don't 'cha find it strange? This kind of possession happen outta of nowhere. The family has owned the home for over twelve years. Surely, if there was something here, it would have acted earlier." Merida commented.

"It must be from an outside source then," Bunny said, shifting over and letting Merida sit down.

"What do you think, boss?" She said and we all looked at Jack, watching as his brows pulled together.

"I did some research on this home, there isn't any paranormal history behind it. The structure is solid. I think you're right, Bunny, it could be an outside source. Something influencing Hiro, or that came into contact with him after Tadashi's death. At least, that's when Tasha and Mark noticed his change."

"How would we figure that? Anyone, or thing, could have made contact with him in that time," Bunny said. How could we know if he was being influenced on from the outside?

"Could it be a curse?" I suggested.

"Perhaps," Jack mused, crossing his arms. "We need to figure every angle. Since everyone is gone, Bunny, can cleanse the house again? This time, we should keep barrier charms around the entrances. Also, make a salt barrier - once this house is clean, I want it to stay that way."

Bunny nodded as Jack paused, pursing his lips in thought. "Merida, can you prep this room? Move the furniture as far from the center and leave one of your Da'a here. If Hiro is possessed, the spirit won't take to us lightly. We should also set up a camera in this room."

"A-are ya' going to perform an exorcism?" Merida asked, shocked.

"If it comes down to that, I have someone on call to do it," Jack answered.

"You don't think it'll come down to that?" I was curious to know what he thought would happen.

Jack leaned forward on his knees and slowly stood up before walking over to the window. Outside was now dark and we watched as he gazed into the night.

"I have a good feeling that we won't be needing the exorcism." Jack turned around and looked at me directly.

"We don't have much time, since we don't know how long Hiro will be gone for. Hiccup, set up the cameras in here. And, I hate to ask, but can you do one more thing for me?" I swallowed, nervously. I hoped he wouldn't ask me to rely on using that dark power, because I wasn't entirely in control of it yet.

"I need you to go into the spirit realm and see if you can't find anything out."

"Bloody-hell, Jack," Merida snapped, standing up. "Are you out of your -"

"He's our only chance at possibly getting some answers. I don't like it any more than you do, but we all know he can access that world by astral projection." Jack said firmly, then our eyes locked.

"It's up to you, Hic. You have a unique gift. If you were to, it would make finding help for Hiro a lot easier. If you don't, we can come up with a different plan."

Now, they all looked at me. To let me choose - always, it was always my choice with Jack. I gnawed on my lower lip, waiting to feel any kernel of fear or emotion. I hadn't minded this afternoon, but now, it seemed like something far more sinister lay in that realm. And, somehow it knew I was a one-way ticket to the Gate. Could I risk it?

"Can't you ever just ask a normal favor, once in a while?"

Bunny chuckled and Merida settled back down into the couch cushions.

Only Jack, it seemed, understood that I hadn't entirely been joking. His face was tight. Like he precisely knew how nervous I was to set foot into the other side.

I would do it though; face the unknown to help Hiro and his family.

Content washed over me; settling deep within my core as the others conversed quietly around me. If there was anything to risk, it was here.

^.^

I set the camera up, exactly how he asked. And, I also thought it was a good idea to set one up outside the front porch, to see if Hiro was out there or would show up.

Bunny was dressed in his robes again, cleaning the home. We all moved throughout the rooms with him, listening carefully to his enchantments. The prayers were calming and he spoke in the religions' tongue so fluently, I forgot he was an aussie.

At the end of it, he stuck two of his barrier charms on branches of the peach tree outside the home Two charms for the front and two for the back.

As he finished up, I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Once we were finished up, Jack would brief us all on what's to happen throughout the night, then we would get to work. Merida, who moved the furniture around, was now setting up her inner circle.

She used her hands, lacing them together and creating a triangle. In a deeply drawn breath, she began chanting an incantation. Nothing happened at first, until the candles she had laid around the center of the circle lit up.

A ball of white light - like a white flame, hovered above it before dispersing. I felt the presence of the orb and squinted to try to see it again. It was faint, but I could sense it was here.

"That is my Da'a," Merida walked over to me after setting up a charm of her own near the lit candle.

"I remember you said that once, on our first case. What is that?" I watched the flaming white light hovering near the charm. I was tempted to go over to it and inspect it, but my senses told me not too. That part of me that belonged to the other realm screamed at me not to go near that shimmering ball of light.

"Once I've defeated a spirit, I can make it work for me. They can protect me from other types of spirits." She explained, plopping down onto the sofa with me.

"How many of those do you have?"

"Five, each one takes a certain amount of energy to control. Not to mention the power it takes to defeat a spirit. But, aren't you suppose to go to bed now?" She grinned, teasingly and I made a face. Then I remembered something Jack had told me earlier tonight.

"Do you think you can teach me? Some kind of protection spell, or something?"

"Hiccup," she sighed. "I really don't think I should - it becomes dangerous when someone who hasn't used defensive spells, suddenly tries and then can't control it."

"Please, Merida," I scooted closer to her, "I just don't want my only option to be to be running."

"Runnin'," Bunny cut in, "kept you safe today." He went to examine the shrine Merida had just cast, whistling lowly at it.

"Impressive, Priestess," he said.

I ignored him, focusing on Merida, "I want to learn. Please, Merida."

She was quiet for several moments, before giving me a small smile.

"I'll teach 'ya one; but I haven't the ingredients for it right now."

I nodded, enthusiastically, "thank you, Merida." And I meant it too. I really did want to learn other ways of protecting myself - so I didn't have to rely on my own power. So that, if I couldn't get over my panic, I would have an alternative.

"Alright, guys, everything looks great and we're ready to go," Jack strode into the room, a laptop in hand that he set on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch across from us. His eyes lifted from the screen to met mine.

"You ready, Hic?"

I licked my lips, nodding. He leaned back into the cushions.

"Where do you want to -"

"Can you really project?" Merida asked, quietly, cutting in. Jack closed his mouth, but kept his eyes on me and I saw a knowing sparkle behind them.

"I see everything as if I were still awake - as if... I was still sitting here with all of you. But, I'm on the other side, with the spirits." I didn't bother mentioning the other realm that I had access to.

"What's it like?" Merida pushed, lightly.

"The truth is, it's sad - I don't see many souls, just the ones that find me. Or if I'm looking for a particular soul, I can will it to me. They communicate to me like that and it's like they're living again - like I'm their tether to this life. I'm their voice."

I didn't look up throughout the entire time I spoke. The room was uncomfortably quiet, the first person to speak was Jack.

"So it's settled. Hiccup will find as many answers as he can there. Where do you want to do this, Hic?" he asked, again.

I didn't want to be alone again, this time. So I said, "here is fine. Just don't all stare at me okay? It gets a little weird."

Blindly, wildly, I lunged into that world. I sent my power lashing down that bond between myself and the other side.

It was strange this time, however, like something was expecting me to come back. There was a dark, colossal sense of a presence on the other side. My bond went taut, the thing under my skin was pulsing and -

A mental barricade blocked my path. The shield went on forever, the product of being afraid of this darkness for years. I brushed a mental hand against that wall.

It arched into my touch - purring and then relaxed. That other world opened for me. But, unlike all the other times where I had woken near my body, this time I was in the woods - like my soul was being drawn here by something.

I could see the tall, steel structure of the University from the treelines when a figure appeared in the darkness.

"You came back," Oliver said, approaching me.

"Did you bring me here?"

"No, I assume what brought you here, also brought me here." He frowned and my eyebrows dropped.

There was a screeching from behind him and I moved out of the way of a buzzing white-light. It passed through me in one motion and turned into a silhouette of a woman. There was another light that slowly floated over to us, a spirit of an elderly man. More and more spirits, in the sky and on land, went by us. They all moved in a similar motion, deeper into the woods.

"What's happening?" I looked back at Oliver, his nostrils flared and a part of his composure looked flawed - almost feral.

"This is dangerous, you need to get out of here. The ritual is calling on all the power of the dead," he explained. That was what all the spirits were doing - following the call.

I tried not to bump into any of the floating lights. "You mean, someone is going to use all these spirits?"

"Yes, and if that's the case, you need to wake up, Hiccup."

I tried to revert this world back into couch I had left my body in. Tried to imagine the smell of the lit candles and the feel of my clothes scratching my skin. This world hadn't even budged as I felt a shutter on my mind and yelped when I slammed into another inner shield. The reverberations echoing in me as if I had hit something with my body. I was trapped here.

"Try. Harder." Oliver hissed, grabbing my wrist, tugging us off the beaten path and out of the way of the oncoming ghosts.

I tried again - harder this time. Imagining that world and it slipped from my consciousness. Suddenly, there was a pounding on my skull. My nostrils flared as I clenched my eyes shut - a blurry white light flashed behind my eyes and made the world spin. Oliver grabbed me, steadying me as the nausea passed.

"I can't connect to my body," I stared around us, this had never happened before. I didn't understand. "What's happening?"

Fear rose in my gut - I was going to be stuck here. Maybe, if I had listened to my father this would have never happened. Maybe, if I had listened to my gut, I wouldn't be here. Was there a time limit a living soul could stay here? A shiver shuttered through my spine.

"Shh. It's the ritual - it's blocking the connection. Stay close to me for now," Oliver tugged on my wrist, lowering his hand in mine and we began walking out on the trail again. More spirits moved in front of us and I tried not to stare or draw too much attention to myself. I just looked straight ahead down the dark path of the woods. We walked deeper and deeper, the tree's blocking out all of the light and creating darker shadows on the path.

That's when I heard it - a sweet, lovely voice, beautiful like sunlight on a stream. It was enticing and enchanting and seemed to call to me. I felt Oliver struggle against the sound too, gripping my hand and I gave him a firm squeeze. The honeyed voice seemed to get louder as we got closer to the source. The words of the sweet melody becoming clear now:

 _Spirits of fire come to us: We will kindle fire,_

 _Dance with magic, sacred circle,_

 _To raise the cone of pow'r._

 _To bring what we desire,_

 _Fire, fire fire; kindle our spirits higher._

 _In thy flame naught remains,_

 _But fire, fire, fire._

The song felt ancient and horrible. In the darkness, we approached a coven; five hooded figures stood on a five-pointed pentagram. In the middle, was a shimmering, golden, soft light. A voice said, atop the lovely, cruel melody.

"Spirits; we call upon you this evening - ancestors, lend us your powers," one of the hooded figures raised a goblet as they stood over a makeshift shrine.

Oliver stopped walking, his features froze and I tugged on his hand, weaving us out of the way of oncoming spirits. I took refuge behind a large tree and some shrubs, but that call kept singing in my veins - calling me into that light. It was a battle to try and ignore it. And I could tell from the dark look on Oliver's face, it was the same inner battle for him.

"It's a portal," Oliver said in a hasty breathe.

"A portal to where?" I looked back at the hooded figures and their chanting increased in power. I squinted at one of the ghost figures approaching the portal; I had seen him somewhere, but couldn't put my fingers on it. The ghost had the same dark hair and exotic features as Hiro…

Tadashi. I recognized him from the pictures at Tasha's and Marks.

"No," I breathed aloud, stepping towards him. Oliver jerked me back.

"A portal to a vessel - Hiccup don't!" he growled at me as I tried to pull away from him, shoving against him.

"Tadashi!" I yelled out, instead. Desperate to get the ghost' attention.

Suddenly, the light stopped - the welcoming sound stopped and the enticed spirits dispersed wildly around the small clearing. Tadashi was the first to vanish and I watched as one of the coven members stepped towards the portal, which I now noticed was a live goat. It was tied to a post and was making terrible noises of distress. I didn't notice, but as I squinted in the dark, I could see the gash across the beast's neck. Both of us watched as, what seemed to be the leader, walked over to the dying creature with the goblet and drew the blood from the open wound of the goat.

Then, with a long dagger, they cut into the chest of the goat. It gurgled a painful cry into the woods as the heart of the beast was extracted from it's chest.

"Let us feast upon the life of the beast, infused with the power of the spirits." The hooded figure said, holding up the heart and the goblet, then turning to the nearest hooded figure. All at once, they withdrew their hoods and were all a blur of faces. All except one. Hiro.

The leader beckoned him to step forward into the pentagram. I wanted to shout out for him to get out of there but found myself unable to speak - unable to move.

Fear - undiluted, broken fear - slammed into me, and I remembered. I remembered what it was like being afraid and helpless and weak. I felt Hiro, my strange power latching on to him, to another living soul trapped here. These were his feelings, I realized. He remembered what it was to want to fight and live, to be willing to do anything to stay breathing -

But, that was because of Tadashi. And, now Tadashi was gone. He was gone forever.

He did not want him to die.

But, now all Hiro could think about was how he did not want to die. He did not want to be eaten. He did not want to go into that sweet darkness. They made him - cornered him when he was weak with the whispers of seeing Tadashi again, purring in his ear.

Out - he had to get out. But every time he tried, they were there.

And now -

"Passenger of this boy - brought back from the power of our coven, feast upon the living that has been infused with the souls of the dead!" The leader, a tall, colored woman, handed him the goblet.

Black panic crushed in - my mind, my soul connecting with his. He couldn't breathe and I kicked against that mental wall between us.

 _No, no, no, no, no-_

"Drink Hiro, and you will be reunited with your brother," the woman moved the goblet towards him.

 _No. Stop, stop, stop._

I mouthed it.

 _You are strong, don't let them do this to you._ I slammed my fists against the channel between us. Please, please - you are not weak, or helpless. You are not broken.

A cruel power lashed around us and crunched down, twisting. Hiro screamed but the power froze him in place - so much power, so easily controlled, roiling around him. I felt a glimmer of contemplation within it, if it should end his existence like an asp surveying a mouse.

The power snapped the bones and tendons in his hand and he screamed again. Tears of agony ran down his face -

Like a pair of scissors through a taut ribbon, the scene was severed, the shield keeping me here fell through and I gasped, blinking in the real world.

A chill went down my spine at the sight of what I had just witnessed. I was panting heavily, shaking from my core and a cold sweat covered my body.

Jack and Merida were at my side in an instant and I grabbed his arm, tears threatening to spill.

"The woods," I blurted. "Hiro's being held in the woods!"

Bunny, Merida and Jack all looked at each other, while I continued.

"There's a ritual happening there, behind the university. There's a shrine and Hiro is there, they're keeping him because he's carrying a passenger." I had no idea what that meant. I didn't care.

All I cared about was getting to Hiro before something awful happened.

None of them moved and I pushed away from them; standing up. "Why are we just standing here!"

Darkness roiled around me. I wanted to move - wanted to go and help him. The last memory of that scene…. Hiro was suffering so much.

"How far into the woods?" Merida asked, swiftly.

"There's a path from the university - the shrine is just off that path."

"Jack -"

"Go. Both of you," Jack's icy-blue eyes flickered to Bunny who jumped up. Merida and him left in one fast movement. Jack was already pulling on my arm as he fluidly stood up, heading for the door.

"Me and you will take the car."

I let him lead me outside where we ran to his Mercedes parked on the road. The SUV was already gone and there were no signs of it down the block. I tried to touch my magic again, to make sure it was still intact after being so close to such a dangerous ceremony. A dark glimmer responded to my touch and I settled into the seat. Bile rose in my gut and I hoped and prayed we would make it in time.

"What happened to Hiro?" Jack asked as we sped down the street. He was easily going twice the speed limit. I didn't care.

"These people, they approached Hiro when Tadashi had died. They must have promised him they could bring him back - or something. But, he was standing on the shrine and -"

"It's okay," Jack cooed, taking a hand off the wheel to grab my shaking one. I hadn't realized I began trembling again. I let myself reel in his smooth, cool touch.

"We need to get to him, Jack." I squeezed his hand, closing my eyes.

I didn't dare go into the darkness, or push myself back into that world. I simply welcomed the calling darkness in the back of my mind - finding that I could finally feel the protection of Toothless nearby. Even though I didn't summon him .

My fear had been my downfall, making it nearly impossible to summon my protector. But, sitting here, hand in hand with Jack, I felt safe.

"I feel safe around you," I admitted quietly. It was barley a whisper and I hadn't thought he heard it until he replied several moments later.

"You'll always be safe with me."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

This was a really fun chapter to write - I love that Hiccup is getting use to his projection. But, he has to be more careful. I think he's getting a little ahead of himself and going past his boundaries.

Another thing I loved about this chapter was Hiccup connecting with Hiro through his fear - can anyone name the darkness? :)

I'm really happy with how this chapter turned out; I had three different drafts for it and (oddly) this was not one of them. But, I found this one would take the story into an interesting direction! And, we can build the bond between Jack and Hiccup some more (HEARTS!). Plus, we get some more Oliver time. We still need to figure out just what he's up to and why he's sticking around :/

Nonetheless, thank you for reading! I look forward to your comments and questions and criticisms (constructive).

OH! And as a note to some PM's I got: I do update Saturdays! So keep an eye out for me amounts those other amazing fanfics.

As always: FOLLOW and REVIEW

And, stay awesome!


	12. Chapter 12 - A Cruel Darkness

**Authors Pre-notes:** I really like this chapter now...But 'll re-read it later and be like, 'GODD, Cass...Why did you put this up?'

^.^

My heart was pounding so hard, I didn't think I could be pulled from my consciousness. But I guess I was wrong. I began frantically searching around, staring into that darkness. I had never been here before - had never just been on a dark plane before.

"You've gotten yourself into quite the predicament," Pitch Black materialized from the darkness, like mist and stars. He said the words slowly, like he was testing them on his tongue. To see if they yielded the sting of his impact. It had felt like years since I've heard the dark mans voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied and his face hardened.

"You made contact with a passenger," Pitch hissed - his golden eyes flashing dangerously. "If that passenger makes contact with you, he'll be able to walk right through the Gate."

Pitch clenched his teeth, pacing lightly on the darkness in front of us.

"If he walked through the Gate, wouldn't he pass on? Like all the others?"

He gave me a cruel smile, "I devour the souls who cross the Gate, the ones who have accepted death. Passengers are not dead nor, alive."

"How can something be neither dead or alive?"

"Hiro - he was carrying a passenger, the thing you saw attached to him. That is a passenger in it's sleeping form. Ancient witch cults have used passengers to access the Gates and earn eternal life. They pass their souls into a vessel and remain in a comatose state." I recalled from earlier tonight as Pitch spoke - that pulsing darkness that was latched onto Hiro was the passenger. And then, when he confronted me in the room, that was the passenger talking. I reeled with this new bit of information as Pitch continued.

"There's a threshold known as the Dark Lands. Spirits lay to wait for their fate - and only then will they be sent to the Gates if they can reach the anchor. Passengers do not wait there - they can seek out the anchor. They can permanently severe the soul of the vessel if they pass through the Gate."

I let the weight of his words sink in before he continued and I felt my heart drop. "They also severe the bond between the anchor."

That meant, not only would Hiro be completely detached from his body, but I -

A dark glimmer shone in those gold eyes, "yes, you would cease to exist too. Since they pass both ways between the Gate, they can gain long life - not eternal life. And the anchor would be lost - until another was born with the talent."

"How can we stop it?" I thought the world would fall beneath my feet - like I, too, would sink into this pit of nothingness. I never did, though.

"Find the artifact that they used to transfer the passenger with," he said, vaguely.

"That could be anything!" I exclaimed, dropping my arms. But, Pitch continued.

"Passengers have a unique weapon they carry with them. It's used in the ritual when they acquire the vessel. Since it has been tampered with darkness, you can find it. It will have the same feel to it - the same imprint. Once you get it; take it to the body," dark amusement flashed in those eyes. "You'll know what to do."

"No, please, tell me more!" I yelled as he vanished into the void. I heard voices from the real world leaking into my head before my eyes snapped open. Jack was leaning over me from the passenger side door and I struggled to lean up.

"What did you see?" He peered at me, handing me a small silver flashlight. I shook my head; I had a dark feeling that the artifact I was looking for I had already seen tonight. The long, accented dagger that slit the goat's throat at the trial. And, Pitch was right - I had a decent idea what I had to do with a weapon like that.

And it would tear my soul apart. So, I wouldn't dare let Jack know what needed to be done.

"I didn't see anything, are we at the ravine?" I scooted out of the car, Merida and Bunny were already walking back to the parking lot, flashlights in hand.

"I sent my Da'a down - there's still a very strong presence and I have a feelin' it's from that ritual, Hiccup mentioned." Merida said, looking at each of us. Her eyes settled on Jack.

"What' do 'ya wanna do?"

Jack spoke next, "we're here for Hiro - but if the situation becomes dangerous, we call the police. No one tries to play hero, got it?" He glanced at each one of us. It was final now. We were really going down there. I breathed in, deep and slow, letting the air completely fill my lungs.

I didn't know if I could and my hesitation didn't go unnoticed. "Ya' okay, mate?" Bunny looked back. I stood frozen to my spot, unable to move.

Suddenly I was back at the ritual - closed in by that dark power and the fear of watching Hiro suffer. Watching him suffer and I couldn't do anything about it. I hated myself - hated that I couldn't stop it. And now, when we were here for him, I was too afraid to continue. My lungs felt constricted and I couldn't breathe. The growing realization of what I needed to do to save Hiro was growing on me and I felt a immense pressure on my shoulders, weighing down my chest as it expanded in my ribs.

"Hic?" Jack was in front of me, I felt his cool hands on my shoulders. They kept me steady.

"I-I can't - I'm sorry," I looked around to all my friends, gasping for air. Perhaps earlier they saw someone who was strong and courageous - now the looks they cast made me feel like they were disappointed. I had failed them.

"It's okay," Jack cooed. "You don't have to go in. You've done enough tonight, just stay in the car and lock the doors, okay?" He fished out his keys and I felt the metal in my palm.

I nodded, unable to speak. "Do you want me to stay with you?" Jack asked and I shook my head, making the dark world spin.

"N-No, make sure Hiro is there. I'll stay here and see if I can't find anything else out." Those blue eyes weren't convinced, so I said, "I'll be fine, I just can't go down there."

I could tell it pained Jack that I didn't want him to stay, but his face settled on Merida and Bunny, "we'll go down, look for Hiro and come right back up."

Everyone nodded and wished me a farewell. I climbed into the driver side of the Mercedes as I watched their departing figures disappear into the night. I took some more time to calm myself down - to tell myself that I didn't fail.

I had a different job - and it revolved around mastering this darkness. I didn't know how far the coven would go to protect their secrets. But, I had a feeling they weren't going to go down quietly. What Pitch told me was clear: I needed to get that dagger and find the passenger. However, finding the passenger would be next to impossible - but at least I had a lead.

Tadashi might know - if he was still unable to find peace, then maybe he's been watching over Hiro. Maybe, if my hunch was right, he would know where the real passenger was.

Then I would do what needed to be done.

I found my dark dragon outside in the grass. His membranous wings expanded half the length of the small park as he stalked over to me. Those green eyes were bright and ready for the path ahead. I opened the door, greeting him as he stood next to the car.

"I need that dagger," I told him and his pupils slit. "Bring it to me, please Toothless." I didn't need to say anything else, because with a great beat of his powerful wings, he was in the sky and I knew he wouldn't be able to fail. Now, I had to find that passenger - and I only had one place to look.

A cold sweat chilled my body to it's core. I wasn't a murder, wasn't a violent person and I had no idea how I would push through this. Maybe Pitch would send through some of his coldness - some of that cruelness that seemed to leak from his pores.

Locking the doors, I settled back into the seat and sent this world into a flurry of darkness, easily settling into the ghost realm - the Dark Lands as Pitch called it. Sitting beside me in the passenger seat was Oliver.

"You have a lot of answers that I want when we're done this," I didn't look at him. It wasn't a question - it was a statement. He wasn't getting off the hook anymore and from what Pitch had revealed, I had a lot to learn.

"We need to find Tadashi," I jerked open the car door, Oliver followed. He didn't say anything about my plan, or about my intentions. Good, I wanted it to stay that way. We walked quietly in the darkness, the strong presence getting further and further behind us as we made our way to the university.

"How did you end up here?" I asked in the quiet of the night.

"I died," he said smugly and when I opened my mouth to protest that wasn't a real answer, he continued. "I was murdered."

"I had just came back from India before I decided I wanted to visit the UK. I had gotten lost, trying to find a historical site I had learnt about in Germany. On that night, my car I had rented ran out of gas. After a couple of hours in the cold, another car pulled up on the road. I told him my situation and he said there was a town close by he'd drive me to to pick up fuel."

Dread filled my veins as we approached the back of the university.

"We didn't go to a town, instead he took me to a secluded area. When I tried to flee, he injected me with some kind of anesthesia. I woke up hanging on a wall, my arms chained above me. It took him hours to finish with me -"

I realized I stopped walking - stopped breathing. That day Jack had picked my up from school, he handed me that paper with coordinates.

' _It's popular camping spot…'_

"You're in Berk, somewhere," his blue eyes were glazed, like he was trapped in his awful memories of death. Slowly, he nodded.

"Jack knew - did he know because of the bond?" Again, Oliver nodded and I lowered my head. I had nothing to say to him, how could I? He suffered a truly horrible death. I wondered if Jack had known and was here to seek revenge -

"Tadashi," Oliver said, pointing in front of us as we stopped somewhere in a long corridor of the university. My head snapped up, pulled from my dark thoughts and I saw him. He was standing in the darkness, staring at us. Slowly, we began walking towards him.

"Tadashi, my name is Hiccup," I introduced myself kindly, his brown eyes met mine and nodded.

"The anchor." He said and I swallowed - my reputation was becoming well known. Maybe my father was right, I needed to stop coming here.

But if I did, I wouldn't be able to help those spirits pass.

I nodded, "yes. Do you know why I'm here?"

Tadashi nodded, "the passenger."

"Did you see him? Where is he?"

Tadashi seemed to hesitate and I pushed forward, "this is really important, Tadashi. Hiro is going to be in a lot of danger if we can't find that passenger."

A pain-stricken look flashed across his face before he opened his mouth - to scream - but nothing came out. He shook his head, dropping it in his hands and then disappeared. I reached out into the darkness, "no!" I yelled and swore under my breath.

"He can't remember," Oliver said over my frustration.

"Why?" I snapped.

"It happened during his transition - before he died."

"How can that - wait," I paused, reeling with a thought. "Tadashi went back into the lab to rescue a colleague, if it happened before he died, you don't think that could have been the passenger?"

Oliver's eyes turned into slits, "if that's the case, Tadashi's death was for nothing."

Tadashi appeared again, further down the hall. He glanced over his shoulder, then disappeared into a ball of light, continuing slowly down the hall.

The passenger was here. Urgently, we sprinted down the hall, following Tadashi's spirit as he appeared and disappeared, leading us to the area of the university that had still been closed off. A notice was taped to the door that construction wouldn't start in the area for another month.

So it was a perfect place to hide away - or pull someone away from the rubble. Before we continued, Toothless appeared further down the hallway, approaching us with something gleaming in his mouth. I pulled the long, jewel accented dagger from between his teeth and admired the weapon.

It radiated the same dark energy as Toothless had - Pitch was right.

' _Home,'_ a cruel, ancient voice cooed from the artifact. it rasped against my skin like nails on a chalk-board.

' _Take me home.'_

I looked up at Oliver, who was staring at the weapon intently and I wondered if he heard that ancient voice. I tucked it into my belt and didn't say anything to him as I continued on towards the burnt wing to where Tadashi was waiting. He stood still, his back to us and when I reached him. Then, he disappeared, reappearing outside the structure - confused, we followed.

He made it another half a block before stopping at the small church across the road from the school. This time, he didn't disappear - he simply pointed to the top of the church and it was all the confirmation I needed. I felt the darkness pulling at me, the dagger at my side purring in that horrible, ancient voice.

' _Yesss, home.'_

We stepped inside and candles were lit, as if a mass had been here. But no one sat on the benches. I pushed past the overwhelming feeling that someone was here and we made our way up the small stairs, to the attic.

In the corner of the room, laying in a casket, was the burnt body of a dark-skinned man. I unsheathed the dagger as it hissed. The man opened his eyes and I gasped as he began laughing. I realized he couldn't move, he only stared with that similar black, endless look. The same look Hiro gave me, but I knew this was the true face of it.

' _You can't do it,'_ the dagger hissed. ' _Lower me and leave.'_

That ancient voice was thrumming in my veins - a power of it's own that seemed to lower my arm slowly.

No, I was here for Hiro - here for Tadashi - I couldn't be distracted. I fought against the power, mentally pushing my own darkness towards it. It became a mental tug-a-war, but in the end, I won, my arm raising once again.

I couldn't do this - I couldn't move the dagger. My hands shook so hard. I wanted to fall to my knees and beg for his forgiveness. Wanted to, but there was such a rift running through me now. My heart shredding -

I gripped his shoulder and guilt slammed into me the same time my soul plunged that dagger into the passenger's heart. It didn't go all the way in at first and I struggled to push it deeper.

He gasped and my hands slackened at my sides as I stepped back. I went somewhere far, far away from myself. The body convulsed, blood covering the delicate silks of the coffin. My hands were covered in the same thick, life substance. Silent tears dampened my face as I realized I would be forever barred from those immortal lands. No great white light would embrace me. I would feel no warmth...

A woman burst into the room, the dark-haired woman from the coven. She wailed, moving closer to her son, I now realized. Blood leaked from his mouth as he turned towards her and she stared at the dagger in his chest.

Hiro was free - I could sense the dark magic was lifted. But, in freeing him, I had to -

I stepped back again, leaving that broken bit of soul behind as I witnessed the scene. I was too exhausted to call myself back to my body - too drained from power to do anymore.

A glimmer of Pitch whispered to me that I wasn't done yet. She couldn't be allowed to keep this doing this dark magic.

"Hiccup, you're exhausted, don't push it!" Oliver warned but I held a hand up. Darkness answered my call and I found myself on the edge of her mind easily. The woman was frigid under my control, carefully, I turned that darkness into a talon - sharp and curved.

I scraped it against her mind and she shuttered, ' _let me in'_. The darkness purred.

She willingly obliged and this darkness, this cruelness, fed off her fear. I entered her consciousness like I was stepping into another room and searched for her dark secrets. The bond that would lead me to them was deep and I knew it had to be severed for her to completely forget. With that long, sharp talon I yanked on the beginning of her bond to her dark magic - that dark spell - slicing through it. When it was done, she thrashed and screamed, grabbing her head in agony. Her shriek scream spiraled me back towards my soul and I crashed to the ground.

"Get him back! Get him back to his body, quickly" Oliver ordered someone - Toothless. I was so exhausted, so tired I just wanted to drift away into this darkness. I felt Oliver grab me, hoist me onto the back of Toothless and we flew into the night.

My power was weakening - this world flickered and when Toothless was low to the ground, he vanished into the night. My soul free fell the rest of the way and I landed in the middle of that park. Pain filled through my body as I tried to push myself off the ground. From across the way, I saw flashing red lights of an ambulance. Someone was being transported into the back of it in a stretcher and I had a sick feeling I needed to get back to my body. I couldn't be left here - I needed to go back.

Because if I didn't - I could feel that bond between my body and soul being pulled apart. I pushed too hard this time - went too far.

I couldn't move, I was too weak. These wretched legs too thin. I couldn't even scream at them to leave my body alone, please, don't take me away.

But as the medics closed the doors and made their way to the front of the ambulance, my bond shuttered. This was it - I was going to die. My last wish was that Hiro was truly freed from that cruel curse.

I closed my eyes, a new kind of darkness embraced me. It felt lonely and sad - like wherever I was going would eternally feel the same.

Slowly, my soul ripped further from me. Something far more violent than lightning struck through me and I bent backwards. A scream ravaged my throat as pain like nothing I had known erupted through me. My very bones shattered as another wave of torturous agony ran through me.

Though my fractured vision, I saw someone approach me.

"Hiccup!" Someone roared far away. No, not someone - Oliver!

But, I was being ripped apart from the inside out, and I thrashed, unable to out scream the pain.

Another voice said, "give him to me, I'll get him back to his body."

My back arched, my ribs broke, one by one. I was being lifted into someone's arms.

"I got you son, you're safe." My father said in a broken voice.

The bond between my body and soul went taut. I flashed between these eyes to my body, seeing the human world. I saw Jack, leaning over me, face grief stricken.

"We need to get him to the hospital, Mr. Frost -"

"No," Jack barked. "Just wait a little longer."

I snapped back into the Dark Lands, in my father's arms as he continued towards the ambulance. As I got closer to my body, the pain began to subside, turning into numbness. Oliver, with a power I didn't know he possessed produced a light from his hand. It was so beautiful, so pure - I wanted to fall into it. To fade away in it and feel the warmth of that pure light's embrace.

We passed through the doors and dad bent, gently laying me down.

I didn't have the strength to speak before both Oliver and him disappeared and that white light consumed me.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Chapter 12 is done! This case is not over yet, either...hehehe. But, wow! I wonder if this will change Hiccup's mind about continually going into the Dark Lands? :/

And Oliver always has tricks up his sleeve.

Let me know what you guys think! Please review...Pretty please!

And favorite and follow!

See you in the next chapter :)


	13. Chapter 13 - Hide the Hate Inside

My senses slowly returned to me, each one more painful than the last. From far away, there was murmuring and the buzzing of electronics. Wincingly, I opened my eyes, but could only manage to widen them a little.

I was in a hospital bed, thankful for the large window in the corner room had. I didn't want to be in that darkness again. Slowly, I sat up. My head spun at the small movement It ached - ached worse than I have ever endured and I ground my teeth

"Hiccup?"

The voice was deep and silky, laced with concern. "Jack?" I breathed and the bed shifted as he sat beside me.

"Are you alright?" Seeing his face - his handsome face, I almost wept from that alone. It was surreal, seeing the sun basking off his flawless skin and light hair. I reached for him, needing to make sure this was real.

"My chest -" I could hardly breath, the pain was dull but excruciating with every shallow breath I took.

"We had to do CPR when we found you unconscious in the car. Bunny busted through the windows and we dragged you out."

I lowered my gaze from his beautiful jewels, "then what happened?"

"You shouldn't have projected, Hiccup," he said sharply. "You weren't meant to be there for such a long time. Don't you understand what could have happened? How could you be so careless?"

"Well, I already did it," I said louder than what was wise and winced from the pain in my ribs. "I'm here now. There's nothing that could have been done about it. I went there to end that damn curse on Hiro and I…." I wanted to cover my face with my hands, but it hurt too much to move.

Jack leaned forward, "I know what you did, and why," he breathed. "That doesn't mean it didn't hurt - seeing you like that…"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I really am. I don't know what happened," Liar - such a filthy, disgusting liar. I knew exactly what happened, I killed that man. Stabbed him to save Hiro and to protect my friends from finding out the truth and having one of them do the same.

"No, I'm the one that's sorry. I asked you to do it - to go and find answers. I should have known better."

His voice was so broken - so sad. I knew, he meant what he said. I decided to change the subject.

"How's Hiro?" I asked.

Jack's face lightened, a ghost of a smile lighting up his features as his eyes flickered up to the door, "ask him."

More people walked around the curtain: Tasha, Mark, Merida and Bunny. Hiro was there too, holding a yellow, smiling face flower pot with a tiny orchid. One of his hands were splinted and bandaged up and I remembered what the passenger had done to him during the ritual. He set the tiny pot down on the window sill and turned to face me. His rich, chocolate brown eyes were wide and I could tell he had been crying from how swollen they were. How long was I out for?

I felt bad for Hiro, but knew better than to pity him. I would hate that - if someone who didn't even know me pitied me. I smiled at him, a friendly gesture.

"Hello, Hiro."

"Hi, Hiccup. Thank you," he gave me a small broken smile. Both of us suffered from this case - both of us seeing things that we wished we hadn't. In that moment, I shared another bond with him.

"How're you feeling?" I asked when he settled on the leather sofa chair.

"Good - different. I can't explain it, but I feel like I've been in a really scary, endless nightmare."

Tasha walked over to her son and gently placed a hand over his shoulder, "it's alright, Hiro. You're here now." She said in a voice made of honey.

A vision tore it's way through my mind - of another mother-son moment. The leader of the coven and her son, when I had stabbed him. I watched as she screamed in pain, holding her bleeding and burnt son. A shutter tore it's way down my spine and I sucked in air through my teeth, sharply. I averted my eyes to the white sheets covering me - and my hands covered in the blood of the passenger and...

"We got our son back thanks to you - thanks to all of you," Mark addressed all of us. No one had noticed I began to breath heavier, began shaking so hard my nails dug into my palms.

"Please, it was our honor to solve this case and give your family some peace," Jack said.

"Thank you," Tasha said and my gaze quickly shifted to her as she gently started running her hands through Hiro's hair. I looked away, couldn't watch anymore or I would see those horrible, gut-wrenching visions again. They continued with small talk - things like payment and cleaning up the house. Tasha and Mark refused the team to do anymore and they settled on a price that was fair to both parties. Though, if I knew Jack, he could care less about payment.

I sat quietly, reminding myself of the horrible deeds I had done in the spirit world. Of the blood I had shed - innocent or not. I felt it on my hands, it was stained there now. I had killed someone - the ultimate sin. But, that cruel, wicked witch craft would have taken Hiro's life - taken my life with it too. One life for two.

At one point, Jack had left me alone to see everyone out before returning.

"They'll let you leave tomorrow," he took his seat beside me again and I nodded. He frowned, "what's wrong, Hic?"

So many things were wrong - I was wrong. I was bad, sullied and didn't deserve to be in his presence. I didn't deserve to be living after what I had done. I shook my head, deciding to ask about something else that had been bothering me.

"Your brother - he was murdered wasn't he?" I knew it was a dangerous question, but I needed something to distract myself from this spiraling path of darkness I was on.

Jack stiffened beside me and slowly said, "yes."

I didn't say anymore, exhausted from the short time I had been awake. I just wanted to sleep, to drift away and never come back.

"I have this dream," Jack said quietly as I shifted to lay back down, wincing painfully with every move. "Where I'm standing there while Ollie is being tortured. And he's pinned to the wall and I've been commanded to commit to the final blow - I have no choice but to see how much I failed him."

I clung to the sheets, before turning to face him. I reached for his hand again, gently gripping his and reeling myself back to reality.

The horrible truth of reality - brutal, yet it was the truth.

"You never failed him," I rasped. His fingers were gentle, yet firm.

"I did… a horrible thing to ensure that," his blue eyes were near glowing in the dim-light room.

"So did I," My sweat clung to me - clung to me like the blood from that man.

I pulled the sheets up and closed my eyes.

When I awoke, the moonlight shone through the windows and Jack had fallen asleep. He was still holding my hand, even though his arm was leaned up at a funny angle. I didn't know who he had convinced to stay with me. But, I was instantly grateful for it.

 _'I won't leave you anywhere, Hic,'_ he had told me once.

Slowly, gently, I brought the back of his hand to my lips. The kiss was chaste, barely lasting a second. But the warmth filled my heart, flushed my cheeks and I stared at this beautiful man, his face so serenely at peace.

I didn't want him to leave. Maybe it was selfish, but as I stared at him, my chest tightened - I wanted to be with him. Turning, I moved onto my back and stared at the ceiling, listening to his gentle breathing, the whirring of the machines, the near-silent scuffles of the night staff. I didn't want to sleep, I was too confused about my feelings for Jack. Was I worthy enough to ever feel something so pure for someone? Was I worthy enough to have, perhaps Jack, feel something like that for me? I wondered if he thought of me like that at all. Reluctantly, when I couldn't fight it anymore, sleep put me under, fast and hard.

^.^

The next morning, Jack and I were leaving. I was being released.

"Want me to drive you home or -" he stopped when I started shaking my head, vigorously.

"I can't go home," I said, frowning. I would have to call the Hofferson's, tell them why I missed school and work has me staying in town for another day. At least until I felt like I could breath without wincing every time. If they knew I was hurt at work, the worried parents would never let me go to the office again. I ran through my brain, trying to remember if we had any major assignments or exams due. No, we would just be starting new chapters which I could access online. And then, soon, I would be graduating.

"You can stay at my place for however long you need," Jack offered.

Slowly, I nodded. "Thanks, I won't be imposing or anything?"

He shook his head, opening up the door for the passenger side of the Mercedes that he already had parked in the front entrance, "of course not."

I squeezed my eyes shut, just in case this was another bad dream. But, when he opened the car door and the wind blasted inside, I knew this was really happening. I just needed to act normal.

I wasn't very street smart for some of the turns he made, sometimes not even recognizing parts of the city at all. I only noticed we were here when I saw those sleek, modern condos and he pulled up to the gate. He punched in a number and looked over at me with a feline grin on his face as the gate opened.

"You'd think they would have a more convenient way to do this," he teased but I was in a trance, watching the large, black iron gates pull open.

The Gates. I pressed a back into my seat, not daring to blink as we slowly drove under those looming, dark gates.

 _Not the same, not the same…_

I repeated it, screamed it over and over in my head, gripping the side of the leather seat.

Jack drove the car into the underground lot, parking near the very back before turning off the engine. He leaned back, staring at me.

"You're not okay, I can tell," he said and I wanted to argue with him, tell him that he was wrong.

"Something's bothering you," he observed as I opened my mouth to protest. "I know you're stubborn, and wouldn't tell me what happened there, what you had to do. I have a fair bit of knowledge about passengers."

Slowly, I reached across, unbuckling my seat belt. I reached for the door, but Jack leaned over me, yanking it shut.

"Just, please, tell me -" he grasped for the word he wanted to use, I saw the frustration flicker behind those blue-hues. "Did you do it?"

Did I murder a man? Was I a murderer? Should I have turned that dagger on myself if I had the strength to?

Slowly, so painfully slowly, I nodded.

Jack froze, leaning back and breathing in deeply. "I'm sorry, Hic."

He didn't stop me the second time from climbing out of the car.

^.^

To say Jack's' place was nice, was a very bad understatement.

Enormous, modern and sleek with open window everywhere. His entire living room laid open to those huge windows. Sunlight was spilling in as the rest of the room opened to a gourmet kitchen. An island made of dark grey marble lay in the middle of dark, clean lined cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Jack gracefully passed me with my bag. "The guest room is just down here."

"You live here all by yourself?" I tore my gaze away from the large room.

"I'm renting - I'm originally from the US." I remembered from my quick search on his family. He was from Michigan - where ever that was.

"Don't you miss your family?" I stood in the doorway of what was to be my room - it was large and light. Modern furniture and large windows with wispy, amethyst curtains.

"Not really," he mused, placing my bag on the large bed. "Are you hungry?"

I didn't think I could eat again, but, despite myself, my mouth watered at the thought of food. I nodded, and he grinned. "Make yourself at home, Hic. I'll make us something to eat."

I wanted to sit down, clear my head from all the conflicting thoughts. Like the suffocating feeling of seeing those gates if I were to ever close my eyes. Or, how I felt about Jack. I walked out of the room, back to the gourmet kitchen Jack was in and took a seat on a bar stool.

He looked up at me, his jewels glowing and an amused grin tugging at his lips. In spite of myself, I smirked. "What?"

I said it slowly, drawing out the last letter and raising an eyebrow when his grin widened. He looked back down at the tray of vegetables and let out a breath.

"I'm a little nervous having you here," he admitted and I frowned.

"Why? This place is -" I tried to find the words for it. Spectacular, amazing, fit for a king? "It's surreal."

His eyes flickered up to me, then back down to his chopping. I watched his hands work smoothly and fast. His T-shirt clung to his corded arms - every small move I saw his muscles flicker. My eyes drew their way to the vee of the shirt on his collarbone, admiring the lightness of his skin.

"Watch T.V. Or something, if you want," Jack suggested and I shook my head. I would rather watch him. After Jack was done, he quickly dumped his chopped vegetables into a bowl, wiped his hands with a towel and grabbed a remote from the far end of the counter. He clicked it and the sound of low music filled the living space.

The beat was heavy - dropped low and the rhythm was slow. "Didn't take you for a country guy," I said as I listened to the song. A slow, upbeat country song.

He shrugged, "it's relaxing. Puts me in -" he stopped, those blue eyes looking at me. A heat was behind them that I felt spark deep in my chest and I looked away. "It's just makes me feel good." He finished.

My face heated, as he worked in silence. The low beat of another song came on as he was slicing through what looked like chicken.

There was a dark tug on my mind - on the bond. I blinked and it tugged again, like an itch in the middle of my spine, beneath my grasp. I sat up straight, I couldn't answer it, didn't want to acknowledge it, but that tug worsened.

"I'm going to clean up," I said and Jack pointed with down the hall from my room.

"Washroom is around the corner if you need," I slowly made my way over to it, a nice sized washroom that was clean and sleek.

I stared at myself in the mirror, feeling a ripple under my skin and I clicked my tongue. Closing my eyes, Pitch was on the other side.

"I've been waiting," he said with a cruel smile. The knowing glint in his eyes told me he knew what I had done the other night. "How do you feel?"

I wasn't about to spill my soul - or what was left of it - to him, of all people. "What do you want?"

He smiled, "you're in a mood, I see."

My nostrils flared, I knew what he meant behind those unspoken and accusing words of what I had done. I swallowed hard, bile rising in my throat and Pitch shook his head.

"We have company," his gaze went beyond me, to Tadashi standing in the darkness.

"What are you doing here?" I breathed.

"I'm ready - ready to go," he said, then added, "I've done what I needed to do."

I bit my lip as Pitch gestured for the man to join him.

"Tell Hiro, to keep his chin up -"

"You can't leave him, yet," I said in a hard tone. "He needs to know that you're around."

Sadly, he shook his head, "not while I'm like this. I want him to know that I've found peace. That I've found the light and ..."

He paused, looking down at his hands. "You need to know what really happened. To know that you saved him - from doing something he would regret. Please, don't think badly of him."

I wasn't ready - I wasn't ready to see his horrible pain. And what did he mean? Was he talking about the passenger? My throat swelled up. Tadashi turned to Pitch, nodding in the same acknowledging way all of them had. Pitch touched his shoulders and the air shifted. The Iron Gates burst open and welts burned into my skin. I screamed, falling to the ground as those dark hands grabbed me and pulled me beyond the Gate.

^.^

Tadashi was standing in front of the mirror. I stared through his eyes, riffling through his head at why he felt so nervous. He fixed the collar on his shirt, straightening it out.

He was about to go to a presentation about his latest research. His nerves showing from the sweat gleaming on his forehead.

We were inside the university and he walked back to a laboratory, throwing on a lab coat. My mind reeled the moment I saw his colleague, the man in the casket. He looked different now - thankfully. His skin was the color of mocha and he had such golden eyes I almost mistook them for Pitch's. He was clean shaven, his hair perfectly styled and he nudged me with an elbow.

"I didn't think you'd make it back," he grinned, his teeth were perfectly straight. "Big day today, huh? Gettin nervous?"

"Yeah," Tadashi laughed nervously. He was nervous he would screw something up, and his dad would be at the presentation later today. He really wanted to impress him. "When are you due, Nav?" Tadashi asked his friend.

His name was Nav…. He had a name...

"Right after you. Don't make me look bad, man," Nav grinned. Tadashi looked at their experiment, they had been waiting for the timer to go off so they could continue with the lab and he could get out of here. But, there was no fighting with time.

"Hey, I'm gonna run out to my locker, real quick. Will you be okay?" Nav asked.

Tadashi nodded, "yeah, there's about another half-hour. We should be good," he waved his friend off and Nav exited the lab. Tadashi moved around the small room before settling on a bench, staring at his presentation notes.

I didn't know why it hadn't clicked, but, from the tiny window outside I saw the church. This was the wing that burned down. Frantically, I tried to warn him. Tried to scream at him, but he continued with his experiment. I knew I couldn't change the past - but I really wished that I could.

From Tadashi's nose, I could smell the smoke - before any alarms went off. How could he not smell the burning? From his peripheral, I saw the dark clouds of smoke outside. He snapped his head up, suddenly. The ash-charcoal burning in his nose. He stood up, pushing away from he bench and began coughing. Tadashi ran for the door, the thick smoke was lingering in the hall.

From outside, he heard sirens and he began panicking. Something finally caught his attention - Nav rushed to the door way. "Tadashi! What're you doing? This whole wing is burning, we need to get out of here!" He yelled and beckoned him to follow. Nav was just outside the hall, holding his shirt over his nose. His eyes were squinting as they searched for a way out.

"There!" Tadashi said, pointing to a window inside another lab. It was small - but it could be broken and they would fit. Quickly, they raced to it, trying to break it open. When they did, flames scattered throughout the room - the pressure blasting them back from the window. Tadashi fell back, hitting his head on another bench. Dizzily, he struggled to get up. Nav raced to his side, helping him and leaning Tadashi's big frame on him.

"I got you, we need to get out of here," he repeated, over and over. From Tadashi's vision, it was spotty, his lungs were screaming.

"Here, we need to get you through," Nav helped Tadashi to the tiny window. There was a loud crackling from above them; the beams beginning to groan under the pressure.

"Go!" Nav screamed as live flames burst through the door, the beam began snapping, threatening to break. The smoke was so bad now, Tadashi could hardly breathe - it coated his mouth, the tang of charcoal was all we tasted. He felt so weak, but he scrambled for the window, trying to pull himself through it -

The beam broke. He could hear it before he felt like the ceiling had fallen on him. The structure pinned his legs, amber and flames burning his skin and he howled.

His legs were stuck, the smell of burning flesh and ash flared in his nostrils. Immobilized, he screamed for help, tugging his leg. It felt like it would be ripped out of the socket, the burning so intense, he felt his skin melting.

Dizziness from the smoke - from hitting his head - overtook his senses and he could no longer hold up his head. He leaned down, everything spinning. He knew he had to get op and try to get out, but he could no longer feel his body. A river of fire flowed beneath his skin.

In the background, there was someone calling his name. A pair of strong, calloused hands grabbed his shoulders.

"Tadashi!" Nav looked at his friend, frantically, then began to work on lifted the beam. It wouldn't budge - it was too heavy and he was too weak from the smoke.

"Get…. Out…." Tadashi managed, but Nav shook his head, holding Tadashi in his arms. "Leave me... Please, Nav... Get out.." He was begging now, concerned for his friend.

"No, I'm not leaving you man. The fire department is here," he used the sleeve of his shirt to cover Tadashi's mouth and nose. Nav leaned down, tears evaporating from his face as he wept.

"We'll get out of this."

Fire caught hold of the rest of Tadashi's lab coat, but he was already too far gone from the smoke to feel anymore pain, his screams were soundless.

A loud bang popped in his ears - ringing in the back of his head as he heard Nav screaming before he heard nothing at all.

The explosion engulfed them.

^.^

I began coughing when I returned to my body. The smoke still deep in my lungs, clinging to my skin. Fire still burnt at my limbs and I tried not to yelp from the forming welts on my arms.

But, soon after, they diffused into the darkness.

"Tadashi didn't.." I was trying my best to control my breathing, "he never got out. He never went back in for his colleague because they had never made it out."

It had been the other way around, and the voice of the passenger whirled in my head that first day we met Hiro. Tasha and Mark had thought that Tadashi made it out, had thought it was a woman. But, it was Nav who stayed with him - went back for him...

' _He wasn't a hero. He was a fool.'_

I recalled what Tadashi had told me. To not feel guilty, that Nav would have regretted it. That I shouldn't see him as a bad person - even in death they protected each other. I was forced to remember, Nav hadn't moved or tried to stop me when I...

"Why would he act like that? As the passenger," I realized I knew the answer. "The spell - that darkness in the dagger changed him."

Pitch smacked his lips, his teeth gleaming, "it seems so."

I remained silent. A part of me wished I had never had to see that - it was easier to let the man be nameless. If he was nameless, than I wouldn't feel my guilt being pulled in ten different directions. Nav never intended to hurt Tadashi. He never left Tadashi's side even when he begged his friend to leave him and...

Pitch didn't say anything to me as he sent me tumbling back into the human realm. I was leaning over the counter, the faucet running on hot, scalding my hand and I yanked it back, yelping.

Tears slid down my cheeks.

Nav. Tadashi. Both of them died in that fire - both were innocent. I didn't know what happened after, perhaps the mother wanted to keep her son alive. Perhaps she thought retribution was needed. That, perhaps since Tadashi was named the hero, him and his family should pay for the death of her kin.

I felt like I had the blood of both of them, stained all over me. I kneeled at the toilet, retching my guilt, my fingers pressed deeply into the cool porcelain. Slowly, I heard the door open and Jack slid in. He knelt beside me, putting a solid hand on my back. I wanted to push him away, didn't want him to see me like this. But, I couldn't. I craved that touch, for someone to be by my side.

When the heaving stopped for a moment, he handed me a dampened cloth and I used it to wipe my mouth. I leaned back, leaning my head against the cool porcelain of the tiled wall.

"I killed him," I rasped. My breath jagged and sobs erupting through my body. "Tadashi never made it out, Nav went back for him… And I killed him."

"I know." He said simply, sadly. Not condemnation, not praise. But grim understanding.

The twisting in my gut had me lunging for the toilet again, pivoting I barely reached it in him. My ribs cried out as I yielded from the tremor, my fingers hissed against the cool porcelain. Another moment - then another, it stopped and I was heaving. My ribs cried for me to stop breathing. I did too - wished I could stop breathing.

His face, I envisioned Nav's face and…. My hands stained with….

"It should have been me."

There it was. With nothing to cling to but the grim reality - there it was.

"Breathe," Jack said. "You will feel like this every day of your life. You can either let it wreck you, or you can become stronger than it. Learn to live with it."

"How do you do it," I said, leaning back, panting, "live with what happened to Oliver?"

When he was about to speak - to protest - but, I continued. "Nothing you tell me will make me think badly of you, Jack. Not any worst than how I feel about myself."

Jack swallowed, dropping his hands to his lap. He stared at the ground before flickering his blue eyes up to me.

"Let me show you," he whispered.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Hello! So I've had to change my uploading to Sundays (think you've probably noticed) because I don't get much time to work on this on Saturdays. I hope you enjoyed! I wanted to keep what happened after Tadashi's death up to your interpretation - so let me know what you think happened ;)

And with that, this Case is done! It was truly fun to write something a littler darker - and to get Hiccup exploring his abilities a little more. It's all trial and error. Next Case, we have something a little more conventional :)

I'm letting you guys know (again) I'm going to take another long break. With my finals coming up, I want t focus on those and then work on my material for the next couple of chapters!

Make sure to review, and when I get back you can have a shout-out! Thanks for always reviewing guys, I really appreciate it.

Favorite, follow and REVIEW - we'll see you in about a week or so :)

Cassie.


	14. Chapter 14 - Give Me All of You

Hello! I'm back from my little hiatus, with all my exams finished I can focus on this story, semi-full time! Which is great because I have some interesting things to throw into the mix of it all. Here's a shutout for reviews on the last chapter:

 **PEPSICOLASHIPPER** **:** I'm so happy you liked it! I got super emotional writing this scene and I wanted it to be perfect. It went through a couple of drafts before I had something simple, yet so heartbreaking. As for the music, that's perfect! Because I do pick different songs for different scenes to help put me into the characters frame of mind. It's so funny you mentioned that and awesome you picked up on it. I should start mentioning the songs, so everyone is in the same frame of mind!

Alright, so please enjoy this early treat and I will be updating again on my usual Saturday's again.

Enjoy!

..::Song of inspiration: Halsey - Colors::..

^.^

Jack had suggested that I should clean up. Before he left, he ran ice, cold water over the cloth and left it on the corner of the sink. The coolness of the clothe hit my skin sharply, and I flinched at the cold. But, it felt so good across my skin.

I went to my room, to take out my tooth brush and a new set of clothes - deciding to take a shower too. But, before I could leave, my cell phone went off.

"Hi Astrid,"I said as the name flashed across my screen.

"Where have you been Hiccup? Mom and dad are worried sick - so am I."

"I already called the school this morning," liar, "I told them I'm still in town for work and that I'll be missing the week."

Astrid was quiet on the other line, "I wish you would have told us. You seem more distant since getting this job. We want you to know that we miss you and-"

"I know, I miss you all too. And this job has been," I struggled for an appropriate word, "it's been really good to me. I'll be home and I'm really sorry I forgot to call."

"Okay, Hiccup," Astrid said on the other line and I felt my heart ache. I really did appreciate all they have been doing for me. But, I was going to be graduating this year - I needed to start looking for work. Or looking at universities. Being here, I kind of already had my foot in the door.

"I'll text you Astrid, tell mom and dad I'm okay."

She made a small sound on the other end before we hung up.

I felt filthy and disgusting and couldn't get that sticky feeling off my skin. I decided the shower was going to be needed and moved to the hallway bathroom once again. Jack had conveniently thought of his guest, as his shower was already lined with an automatic dispenser for soap, shampoo and conditioner. The smell of the body wash was like lilacs and lavender - so soothing and refreshing.

I thought of Tadashi and Nav - wondered if they would run across each other in the afterlife. Even as I thought about them, I tried to keep my thoughts short and shallow. So I wouldn't get dragged down. But all I felt for them, after seeing my vision now, was peace. Peace for Nav and giving him a final resting place; peace for Tadashi so that he can eternally be with his family and friend from a world full of light.

An hour later, I felt ready to go see Jack. I decided to check his room when I didn't find him in his gourmet kitchen, and the smell of grilled chicken filled my nose. His room was on the other side of the condo.

Gently, I knocked on his door, "come in," he said from the other side.

I was already preparing myself for the massiveness of the room. Jack was lounging on the bed on his back, his legs hanging off the edge and he gazed at me from where he laid.

He had a large room with a king sized bed and nightstands on either side. But other than a couple of book cases, dressers and a seating area, it wasn't decorated. His bathroom, however, lingered just on the other side. There was no door and I saw the fireplace that separated the room from the giant, jetted tubbed bathing area.

"Ready for supper?" He asked, leaning up.

"Yeah, aren't we going to… Talk?" I asked, confused. He stood up in one smooth motion and the space between us was closed in a couple of steps.

"After dinner - I promise, you'll know all my dirty secrets," he grinned but it didn't entirely meet his eyes. "Besides, I don't have the energy that I use to for conducting a telepathy read."

"Telepathy read?" I blinked and he stretched out his arms, his white shirt pulling against his trim chest and waist.

"Yep, it's when you allow a medium to enter your conscious. Zel told me about your incident after you mentioned my brother that day I picked you up from school. There was no other way you would have known, unless you had known through her, after that time she tried to get a read on you, to help channel your powers. However, instead of her entering your mind, you locked her out and stepped through her barriers."

I recalled the memory, it was during our second case at the castle. Jack noticed my face and added, "don't worry about it. You didn't hurt her - just shocked her. Only Oliver was able to do that, and things went horribly wrong."

"I know." I said slowly, "when I went into her mind, I saw that memory. That's when I learned about your twin brother. That and I had seen him on the other side and thought he was you." I blushed, back then, I thought that it truly was Jack who had found a way to help guide me through that realm. But, it had been Oliver all along.

"Well, that's how I want to show you. But, without Ollie I can't channel my own power. So I need a medium to be the third wheel, and even then, it completely drains me of any energy."

I nodded, understanding what he meant and how it felt to be completely drained in a spiritual sense. To change the topic, Jack grinned and stepped to the side of the door. "Shall we?"

"Yes, I'm starved," he lead me to the open dining room, that I now noticed was finely decorated with silks and candles. Our dinner plates sat side-by-side on the long table. Jack lead us to the two chairs and gently pulled mine out for me.

"O-Oh, you don't have to," I blushed as I sat anyway. He took the seat next to me and I admired to simplicity of the meal. Roasted vegetables and beets with grilled chicken - I sniffed deeply and the meal smelled divine.

"You're a really good cook, this looks delicious," I looked at him, his eyes were gazing at me.

"Thanks, but don't knock it until you try it," he chuckled and reached for a bottle of white wine, "can you cook?" Jack beckoned for my elegant wine glass and since I didn't know anything about wine, I trusted his good judgment and handed it to him.

"No, I've never cooked for myself. But I can heat up a mean lasagna if you test me."

In the middle of pouring, Jack burst out laughing. Once he finished, he raised his glass.

"Cheers to that!"

Our glasses clinked and I found myself laughing along side him. Jack and I began eating, since my mouth had been watering from how delicious the food looked and smelled.

"Did you call your parents?" Jack asked in between bites. "Yes, they were worried. But, they understand the situation."

"They're pretty understanding," he observed.

"Yeah, I'm lucky. I think they don't quite know how to deal with me - even though I've been with them for so long. But, they've supported me for everything I've decided and that's been a relief."

"Do they know?" Jack eyed me as he leaned back and sipped from his wine. I had a strange feeling he wasn't talking about my job - or what I did here.

Did they know I was attracted to men?

I played with the food on my plate, my face heating from the intense stare of Jacks eyes on me.

"I haven't told anyone about that, I feel like it shouldn't matter what I am or whom I see." It was a carefully crafted answer that I practiced many times in the mirror. I knew from a young age, that I was different, beyond the darkness. I had always subtly known, since most of the girls my age just didn't excite me, or attract me like I knew they should have. Not the way a good looking male would - a good looking male like Jack.

"It doesn't define you - you do know that, right Hic?" he set down his glass.

"W-what about you?" I couldn't look at his face, "does anyone know?"

"I've only told a few of those close to me."

"What about Zel? Haven't you guys -" I stopped myself from the foolish question before it made me sound jealous, or like he owed me any kind of explanation. But, from the moment I met them, I was dying to know their relationship.

"Zel and I have over a decade of tangled history you can sort through," he chuckled and added, "I made the foolish mistake once to invite her to my bedroom. She laughed herself nearly hoarse."

From the way she could yell at him and not be yielded by his sheer power, I could almost envision the moment and I joined him laughing, "what about Bunny and Merida?"

"They suspect," he eyed me, "though when I'm around you I can't help myself sometimes, and I'm not as subtle as I would like." Jack grinned widely and unrestrained. He was breathtaking and I was caught in his undertow.

I leaned back now, sipping from my wine, though, I realized in order to flirt with him and wield any power around him, I would need more wine. After a large drink of it, I met those baby blue jewels.

"And, why is it, you haven't been able to keep your eyes off me from the moment I met you?"

Jack barked out a laugh, so deep and full-throated, it caressed my skin; as if I could feel his mouth at my neck, his lips vibrating on my skin.

"Am I supposed to deny," he said in a voice so low and sensual my spine shivered, "that I find you attractive?"

Something sparked in those eyes. "You've never said it," I shrugged, thinking about all those teasing compliments. "Maybe you should do a better job at showing it."

His bright eyes gleamed, turning predatory. A thrill went through me as he braced himself on the table with his powerful arms, leaning towards me. "Is that a challenge, Hic?"

I leaned closer to him, my mouth suddenly dry, as I held that powerful and lethal gaze, "is it?"

"I think you're very aware of how attractive I find you. And it would seem," I tried to keep my breathing even, tried not to focus on the bob of my throat as he watched me with that lethal focus. He said, slow and soft, "and it would seem, you find me just as attractive, since you also haven't been able to keep your eyes off me, either."

My toes curled inside my socks, such a dangerous line we were walking. Before I could say anything, Jack's gaze cut towards the kitchen where his home phone started ringing.

I wasn't sure whether I should be relieved or not, but I leaned back in my chair as he rose and strode gracefully to where the cordless phone sat.

"Frost here," he answered in that elegant and poised tone, the mask he loved to wear. It must have something to do with work but it wasn't until I heard him sigh - actually sigh - that I knew whoever was on the other line wasn't entirely for business.

"Okay, I'll ask him," he put the phone to his chest and addressed me, "Merida wants to know if you're up to karaoke at Rita's tonight."

I straightened a little at the sound of that, "of course. W-would you be okay with that?" I looked up at him and he smiled, putting the phone receive back to his mouth, "yeah we'll be there. Make sure to get the big room. I'll put it on the company visa. Okay, see you soon."

He walked back over to me, grinning.

"We'll put this on hold," he leaned down to gather our plates, but his eyes lingered on me. "You'll have plenty of time to show me what else comes out of that wicked, little mouth of yours. But, for now, let's go have some fun."

Fun. Yes, I wanted that. I wanted to have fun and just forget about all the horrors of this case. Fun - it felt like I hadn't heard that word in a very, very long time.

^.^


	15. Chapter 15 - The Witch

..::Song of Inspiration - Demi Lovato ft. Iggy - Kingdom Come ::..

^.^

I had never had so much fun before - never been so free and happy than last night at the karaoke bar. I sang my heart out with Merida, who wasn't _that_ bad of a singer. She was more energetic than I've seen her in the weeks I've been with the GPG. Then, Bunny and I jammed out to our favorite rock bands - he pretended to be the lead bass and I pretended to be the drums. The whole night was a blur of laughing and fun, even though my ribs were screaming at me - then, as the night turned into the early days of the morning, Jack sang with me. Slow and softly, he twined his hand in mine and we sang a song of our souls. Bunny had finally decided to take Merida home, whom had fallen asleep on the couch in the large private room. Jack paid the tab and then we drove home, hand in hand, and I smiled the whole way back. At the condo, Jack didn't even cross the threshold of my bedroom door, even though I wanted him to. Gently, he leaned down and placed a kiss upon my brow.

Jack had to work the next day though, and I was left alone in the condo. It was still early, the sun hadn't been up yet. I didn't know how long I slept for, but it must not have been very long. He left keys, one for the condo and one for a spare car he had in the lot, just in case I needed to go back to Berk. If I left now, I could make it to school without missing too much. Seeing as I could survive a night out, it didn't feel right to not go to school.

I decided that I would. I should at least go down and tell the Hofferson's that I was okay. I quickly changed and made my way down to the parking lot. The ' _spare_ ' car Jack had was a silver, brand new, SL Mercedes Convertible. I stared, gaping at the car. _How did he have this much money?_

Regaining my senses, I called him and he answered on the first ring.

"Good morning," he purred on the line. I could see that feline smile on his face and was glad he couldn't see me when I blushed.

"Morning, I'm staring at your ' _spare_ ' car right now," I emphasized the word, "there's no way I'm driving this."

"Why? It never gets out of the lot, you should make sure it works," I heard the grin in his voice.

"I drive that and I might as well owe my entire life to you for the amount of debt I'll be in," I was exaggerating, but this car…. This car would definitely push me over the hundred THOUSANDS.

A low chuckle, "and here I was thinking you wouldn't have minded spending your whole life with me. Tell you what, drive it to the office at least. You can take the sedan, would you feel more comfortable driving that?" His voice was like liquid chocolate.

"No, not really. But I guess it's a start," I grumbled as he laughed again.

"Treat her well, I'll see you soon," Jack's voice kissed me before he hung up and I stared at the super car. The silver gleaming from under the low lights - practically begging to be taken out into the sun.

I didn't have to click any buttons to get inside - it unlocked automatically and was a push-start. The leather was stitched to perfection and I hoped it was nice enough outside to put the top down. I plugged the office address into the on-dash GPS and then, with a deep, steadying breath, I slowly took off.

^.^

Jack was impressed that I handled the SL as smoothly as I did. I didn't waste too much time as we traded keys, then I was off.

Even driving Jacks black Mercedes sedan drove smooth as silk on the highway. I got strange looks when I pulled up to school and tried not to wince every time I had to climb the stairs or sit down at my desk.

However, at lunch, my new ride hadn't gone unnoticed. Astrid strolled up to me at an outside lunch bench and plopped down.

"So you spend all weekend away and come back with a fancy new car? Are you selling drugs or something Hiccup?" She eyed me.

"God, no Astrid," I explained, "it's just my bosses. I didn't take the corolla on Friday and needed a way to get down here. He was kind enough to let me borrow it."

"Your boss? You mean that young looking guy who picked you up that one time?" She stabbed a piece of fruit and plopped it into her mouth.

"Yeah, that one."

"Okay, spill the beans, what do you do for work?" She leaned back, the sun was out today and it caught the golden hues in her hair.

I shrugged, "they ghost hunt." While, hunting wasn't really what they did, but I didn't feel like explaining that to her. Astrid's face lit up in a huge grin and she leaned towards me.

"Are you serious?" I nodded. "That's cool, so what do you do with this place?"

"I help with the administration and some camera maintenance."

She nodded and breathed out. "That's interesting, Hiccup. Do you think they'll get you working full time when we're graduated?"

Astrid was younger than me, but because I had taken a year off school, we were now in the same grade. I sometimes wondered the same thing, though. Would they be offering me a full time position with them? I could move out to the city, close to the office. But, if this was Jack I was talking about, than he would offer to let me stay in his condo for however long I needed. Jack and I could car pool everyday to the work, bring Merida coffee and tease Bunny about whatever he was obsessing about that day.

Then, I could go to my office to fill out reports, help Jack find new cases that the team could take. Maybe, we could start to branch out to different cities, maybe start travelling to Russia or Germany or India. And then, every night, Jack and I could go home and talk all about the adventures we could have or what we had seen or learned. Never again, would we have to be alone or feel afraid.

For the first time, I had a plan. I had something to look forward to after school - a future that I could mold. And it began and ended with Jack.

I realized Astrid was still waiting for an answer, "I can see myself staying with this company for a very long time."

^.^

I drove Astrid home when she told me that her parents were using the cars. Then, I waited for the Hofferson's to get home and texted Jack, promising I would bring his car back. But, he had text me and told me to stay in town.

I grinned as I thought of a clever response.

\- _Is this a way of making sure I come back? Cooking me a delicious meal, showing me a night out on the town then leaving your fancy car in my care?_ -

His response was immediate.

\- _I thought you would want to come back so I could show you how attractive I find you._ -

I bite down on my lip.

\- _At least you make up for being such a shameless flirt by being one hell of a researcher._ -

Jack hadn't replied. And when I saw him the next day in the office at three-fifteen, he only grinned.

"One hell of a researcher, huh?" he said as a way of greeting when he saw me pull up to the office. I handed him the keys and stuck my tongue out, in turn, he reached out to ruffle my hair and I dodged, laughing as he chased me inside the office.

"Hello Hiccup!" Anna greeted me and I smiled at her.

"Hey, Anna," I rounded the large desk. I had started dressing for work, not minding the way tailored shirts and slacks looked on my body. "Need help with anything?"

"Actually, you're moving up in the world, Hic," Jack put a folder on top of the desk and Anna smiled at me.

"Congratulations!" she clapped. Merida and Bunny stepped out of his office just down the hall to join in on the applause. Jack continued grinning. Another familiar face stepped out from the office - Rapunzel.

"I would like to ask if you would like to officially have a position with Guardians Paranormal?" Jack asked over the the applause.

Even if I wanted to fake disappointment and confusion, I couldn't. Because, I was also grinning, so wide that all my straight, white teeth were showing.

"I thought you'd never ask."

^.^

After another round of congratulations and applause, Jack took me upstairs to sign some more paperwork in his office. We settled on a fair wage, even though I was getting paid minimally for my time during these last few weeks of being here, now it was confirmed. I had a job here. And it wasn't just some administrative position - I was officially going to be a researcher.

Well, a research technician. That way, it covered my unique abilities and my technical administration of the equipment. I knew it would look - and sound - cool on my resume, no doubt.

"When you're graduated we'll look into extending your contract into the summer for full time and then see where we'll go from there. Sound fair?" Jack leaned back in his seat and pushed the papers towards me. I read through the fine print and nodded, signing my name on the dotted line.

He clasped his hands over his beautiful oak desk, "welcome to the team."

I grinned, "how come I didn't get this much celebration when I first started?"

"Because," he pressed a button on the side of his desk, the one that would Merida, "I'll admit I was a little frustrated when I learned a kid had broken one of our most expensive pieces of equipment. Merida was the most upset, but as you can tell, we've quickly forgiven you."

Just as she was summoned she strode into the room, "welcome to the team, officially, Hiccup. Now, you can go around breakin' cameras on the daily and be forever under insurance," she snickered.

"Hey boss, how about some dinner, celebrate Hiccup's new position and Zel's safe return," the redhead faced Jack.

"We're going to have a meeting in the boardroom about the next case at five-thirty," Merida frowned and Jack added, "if it's not too late, then we'll do dinner."

Both Merida and me grinned at each other, then she turned around and began to head downstairs. But, not without saying in a sing-song voice, "I'll gather the crew."

Those fascinating eyes were back on me, "time for your office introduction," he rose and I quickly followed him out of the room. Jack and Merida had the two largest offices on the main floor. Both faced the large window that looked out on the street. There was also a good-sized reception desk on this level for the mysterious accountant I have yet to see. I wasn't surprised if that was Jack himself, he seemed more than qualified to do the job. But, they assured me, they had a capable older lady who came in twice a week, after her full time job in the city, to balance all their accounts.

Jack lead me down the hall, to the first door on the right, after the boardroom. It had a simple, frosted glass door and window so I wouldn't feel closed in. The office was a good size even with the large, black wrap desk. There was also plenty of bookshelf space. Two monitors were mounted to the wall, and a large, black, pin board paned the entire back wall. Curiously, I glanced at Jack.

"For all of your artwork on the cases, I know you draw them," he stuffed his hands in his pockets as he leaned at the threshold of the door. "I wanted to give you a place to keep them."

I stared at the blank wall - a blank canvas. He had known that I drew all of the faces I had seen pass through the gates. A way for me to immortalize those souls I've helped pass on. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat, "thank you Jack, it's perfect."

Jack left me in my new office space, to get use to the feel of it. I also had to set up my email and create an account to their archive of data files, since all this time I've been using Anna's.

I kept glancing at the black wall. I had been keeping all my sketch's tucked deeply inside a large, art portfolio that I traveled around with. Now, they had a home, a place where they could be framed. As a reminder of all the work that I've done and ensure that these souls have had their story told.

A story that the world had forgotten.

I would never forget, though.

Our five-thirty meeting came around faster than I thought it would have. Jack had provided me with plenty of pens and a notepad with the company logo, which I took to the meeting with me.

The whole team was there, except Anna, of course. She remained on the phones, downstairs. Merida was the minute taker during the meeting, seated to Jack's right. Zel sat to his left and I sat beside her at the end of the large oval table. Bunny was on the other side of Merida. Our clients were two men and a woman who sat on the opposite side of the table.

I had a feeling they weren't from here.

"Dr. Frost," said the youngest of the two men, who had dark brown hair and equally dark eyes, that seemed to dance with mischief. I was taken aback momentarily at the honorarium. Jack had completed, or was completing a doctorate. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with us."

"Mr. Floydorovich, Rapunzel tells me you've traveled a long ways to get here, and we're very appreciative that you've contacted us." Jack braced his arms on the table - the image of a level-headed boss.

"Please, call me Dimitri," he smiled and gestured to the older, heavy-set gentlemen, who had streaks of grey running through his dark brown hair and beard, "this is my partner, Vlad. And my wife, Anya." She sat on the other end of the table, her auburn hair tied back into a low pony tail and a long hanging pendant dangled from her neck that she took between her fingers.

Anya stared at us with such sapphire eyes, they rivaled Jacks.

I had briefly read up on this case prior to the meeting. They owned some land that they wanted to clean up and create a museum. However, the construction has been halted due to construction workers walking off the property due to paranormal events.

"I understand you have some history on the property, could you please give us a little bit of background of this land?" Jack was polite and very poised.

"My wife is very fond of the land that we have bought. It use to be an orphanage back in the early sixties. However, due to the horrific conditions of the place, it was closed down in nineteen seventy-six and we acquired the land in thousand-and-twelve."

Jack did the mental math, "you've had the property for five years and never noticed anything paranormal?"

"It's not like that," Anya spoke. Her voice was sharp and honed, there was a bit of defensiveness in her tone as she spoke, "we knew of the deaths that happened in the orphanage during its time. We had a priest bless the area every week for a month before we started any construction on it. The blessings didn't work. We had hired ghost hunters to the property to document the strange occurrences and there is still something that keeps these spirits on that land."

"I've heard of Rapunzel during a trip to the United States and sought her out specifically. She, then directed us to you, as you were stationed in the UK and have had success at cleansing spirits." Anyas' blue eyes unnerved me, I could tell she was a very bright and intelligent woman.

"Has the original structure been torn down?" Jack asked, writing something down on the pad in front of him.

"Not the main building. A portion of the barn had fallen apart has been cleaned up. Once we moved to the recreation area, our contractors wouldn't go any where near the structure," Dimitri leaned back, drinking from the elegant glass of water.

"When were you thinking of having us look at this property?"

"The earliest you can, we would like to continue construction as quickly as possible," Vlad had finally spoken, his voice was laced with a thick, Russian accent. Dimitri nodded in agreement, "we've had to put everything on pause and can't hold this process back for longer than a month."

Jack tapped his finger on the desk, flipping through a large, leather bound calendar. I wouldn't be officially off school for another month. With exams starting, I doubt I would be able to get anymore time off school for this case. I'm sure Jack knew that as he paused at the end of May and the beginning of June in the book.

"I'll be quite honest with you, Dimitri, I don't know how we can schedule such an advance case in only a month. I can have a part of our team go to the location and begin an investigation. However, our powerhouse of the team, Hiccup over here," Jack gestured to me at the end of the table. Anyas' piercing eyes had remained on me from the moment she sat down.

"Hiccup is still a senior in high school, his schedule is quite inflexible until the beginning of June," Jack began tapping the book.

"What does he do, anyway?" Anya asked with deathly calm.

"He's unique medium. Rapunzel is very spirit sensitive, while Hiccup can actively interact with the spirit realm." I tried not to lower in my seat as all eyes turned on me. I gave them a small smile; leave it to Jack to downplay my abilities. But, it was for the best, I suppose.

Vlad looked at Dimitri, "I suppose we could call all the construction off, until this is settled." Vlad said.

Dimitri crossed his arms and looked at his wife, once her eyes were off me, I exhaled deeply. "What do you think, Anya? It's your project and I know how important it is to you."

She toyed with the amulet that dangled low on her neck. "Which of your team would you send first?" Anya asked Jack directly.

"We could send Rapunzel and Merida, who is a descendant of the nine maidens. She practices and is fluent in the Holy Language. I believe both ladies would be able to distinguish any sort of spirits from the property."

"And then you'll send him," Anya nodded in my direction.

"Yes, when Merida and Rapunzel have returned and we've collected sufficient data, the rest of the team will go to St. Petersburg to perform a cleansing. Does that work for you, Anya?" Jack directed her attention back to him when her eyes found me again.

She leaned back, again fiddling with that pendant, "I think that sounds fine, it's up to Dimitri and Vlad if they're willing to wait that long."

The two men looked at each other and nodded, "alright. So, we'll send the ladies early next week. I'll have a plan finalized by the end of this week and we can agree on a price."

The trio nodded and Jack stood up, "thank you again for contacting us, Dimitri. Vlad, Anya," he nodded to each, "it was very nice to meet you and we look forward to working with you." Jack walked over to shake each of their hands. Zel and Merida also rose to shake the trio's hands. I stood up awkwardly, not sure what I should be doing as everyone began piling out of the room.

Everyone except Anya. She lingered and to give myself something to do, I collected all the glasses on the table.

"You must have quite the background to be such a talented individual," Anya lingered in the door. I felt so small in her presence and wished someone, anyone, would come back up.

"I wouldn't call it a talent," I chuckled awkwardly to fill in the void.

"I don't mean to be rude, but there's something about you that," she paused to glance at her pendant, then back at me, "there's just something about you that seems… Odd."

"That is quite rude," I scowled and she blushed - actually blushed. "I-I'm sorry, as I said, I didn't mean it that way. I'm not very good at dealing with people, so I may come off a little brash."

"It's alright, I can relate." Her pendant glowed at her neck and suddenly, I became fascinated by it.

She noticed my stare, "my grandmother gave this to me, before she passed away. Such a strange thing, this might sound crazy and Dimitri doesn't believe me when I say it. But I feel connected with her, like she can communicate to me through it."

Slowly, I put the cups down, "don't you think that's a little ambitious to believe? What if it's something pretending to be your grandmother?" If I knew anything about demons pretending to be someone they weren't, it was me.

Anya looked offended and glared at me, dropping the pendant, "you're quite rude, as well."

There was a pause before we both looked at each other and chuckled.

Dimitri stepped into the room then, "Anya, everything okay?" She nodded and he guided her downstairs. I waved to the both of them and continued with the cups, waiting until they were gone before I went downstairs to the kitchen.

Anna had already left, it was already past six.

We finalized all of our notes in a meeting upstairs, and by the time we had gotten flights and itineraries and planning all figured out, it was nine o'clock.

"We'll put the celebratory supper on hold for now," Jack stood up, stretching out his lean limbs. "Hiccup has school in the morning and I expect you guys to be here tomorrow on time. Let's call it a night, we'll finish the rest up tomorrow."

With our dismissal, we all went to our offices, I pinned a couple of important notes on my computer desktop and then shut the lights off. Jack met me downstairs and we waited for everyone else before we locked up the building.

"Here, take the car again. Saves me a trip," Jack handed me the keys to his Mercedes.

"Thanks, how're you getting home?" I asked and he nodded towards Merida.

"Zel, Merida and I car-pooled this morning," he grinned.

I nodded and before he turned away, I reached out for him. "Thank you again, for the position. And, for lending me your car," I wanted to add: and for defending me during the meeting.

"You're welcome Hic," he stepped close to me, so close. His breath lingered on my skin for a fraction of a second before I felt a caste kiss atop my brow - just as last night. He pulled back, his aquamarine eyes were so bright. My heart was pounding in my chest, I wanted to kiss him.

"Can I stay on the weekend?" I breathed.

He grinned, "so you can call me a shameless flirt again?"

I licked my very dry lips, "you're a shameless flirt, no matter what."

He considered, then his grin broadened, "of course you can come over, Hic." Jack glanced behind him at the ladies, who were waiting in the car, "take tomorrow off. Come over on Friday, after work."

I nodded, "G'night, Jack."

"Goodnight, Hic. Sweet dreams." His words kissed my skin. I thought about his lips on mine the whole way back to Berk.

^.^

 **JACK**

It was one of those nights he couldn't sleep. His mind was too restless, his body not tired enough. Jack kicked the duvet off and sat up abruptly, clattering off the bed he walked to the washroom. He splashed cold water on his face and grabbed a hand towel to hold his head in. He lifted his eyes to those staring back at him in the mirror. Behind him, in the threshold of his bathing corridors, was a woman.

Before his eyes, she morphed into shadows and appeared beside him, perched on the sink.

"Restless?" She asked, her voice was a mixture of beautiful and old: of cruel and crazy. The woman had long black hair that seemed radiate into the darkness around her. Her eyes were blood red.

"What do you want, Eris?" Jack ground out. He was starting to get a massive headache, starting at the base of him temples. He began kneading it out.

Eris grinned, "I haven't seen you in such a long time. I thought it would be a perfect moment to remind you, that the year is almost up."

Of course he knew the year was approaching. The deadline was soon upon them - he didn't need to be reminded.

He straightened and quickly made his way out of the large, open bathroom. Eris clicked her tongue, and appeared in front of him. She held on to his loose night shirt before her fingers went taut on his skin. The feel of her cold hands, of a woman cold hands, made him feel sick. Eris noticed the shutter that went through him and a cruel smile played on her lips.

"Would you prefer this form?" She began to morph, her black and long hair slowly turning auburn. Her face became less hallow and more filled out and youthful - and her eyes. Oh, her eyes were the perfect shade of green. Not too jade, but almost like the colors of treetops in the forest.

Hiccup stared back at him, just as handsome as he was this afternoon when Jack last saw him. He moved towards Jack, who was unable to fight off the illusion. His lips were at Jacks neck when the witch spoke again.

"I've been patient with you, boy. Now, continue with your bargain or I'll go after your little pet."

Jack froze and gritted his teeth, "don't you dare touch him."

"Oho, I'll do whatever I please," the illusion pulled back. Eris stayed in Hiccups form as she grinned wide - a smile too cruel for Hiccup to have ever achieved. "And I'll make sure that he is ripped to shreds, and I promise, it will take a very, _very_ long time."

"Don't make threats, witch. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be in that shit hole," Jacks anger only fed her wickedness.

He knew it was a bad idea to go after Ollie's killer. And, he knew, that it was an even worst idea to contract a demon - a witch, no less. But, he wanted to make sure the man died very slowly. The same way he made Oliver suffer.

As if she remembered his state of mind all those months ago, Eris smiled. Her illusion slipped and her black hair spilled around her. "We can still do it, the contract is almost up and you know what will happen if it ends and I'm not satisfied."

Jack swallowed hard, clenching his hands into fists at his side. "I don't want another reminder, so leave until I have need of you," he dismissed her. She gave him one, last cruel grin before she vanished into the darkness.

But, she was never gone. Jack wasn't a fool - but he made this fool's bargain. Eris was always around him, always watching. And, until she was needed, he would keep her power inside of him.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:** A little bit of a change in POV there, huh! Looking forward to the next chapter!

I wonder what kind of trouble Jack had gotten into before he came over to the UK!

I guess we'll just have to wait and see ;)

Please, drop a review, follow so you can get updates and don't forget to favorite!

Much thanks!


	16. Chapter 16 - Demons From the Past

**Authors Pre Notes:** Alright guys, I'm going to lay it down here and say there's VERY MATURE content in this chapter. If it makes you uncomfortable, then skip through it. But, if you are going to read it, I very much recommend you listen to the song of inspiration to help set the mood ;P

I wanna give a shout-out to:

Raxacoricofallapatoreous: Thank you for reviewing on the last two chapters! I always love feedback, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters to come :)

..::Song of Inspiration - Chase Rise Ft. Macy Maloy::..

^.^

The metal around my wrist was cold and it scraped against my skin. The invisible chains held me in place as if I was some sort of criminal…. Some sort of prisoner. I took in my surroundings and was met with carved stone walls and damp darkness. And, spiked high above the wall of the massive room, was a mutilated body above me...

On the other side of the room, someone started screaming and pleading -

No, not someone, it was Jack. He was naked and weeping, tied to an enormous, wooden pentagram. It was elaborate, the designs had the essence of evil seeping from their swirls. Gnarled, masked humanoids pinned him to his spot, their hands holding daggers and …

I lunged. Tried to move - but I was frozen, utterly bound by those invisible chains that cut into my wrists.

Feminine laughter filled the room, from the dais that I now noticed was not empty.

The woman was stunning, black hair so long it disappeared into the darkness around her. Her pale skin was stark against the night that seemed to radiate from her being. She wore a simple gown that could have been made out of the softest silk, the color matching the red of her eyes.

She laughed again, a crows' caw "Do you wish for me to make it stop?"

Jack was panting, blood and sweat gleaming on his skin. I roared at the woman when she clicked her tongue in irritation and appeared beside Jack, a dagger at his throat.

I screamed and yelled from the other side of the room - all of it had gone unnoticed. The woman leaned in close, whispering something to Jack and his eyes went wide.

With a flick of her hand, a dagger was pushed so deeply into his abdomen, I thought it would have speared him through to the other side. I fell to the ground, crying as the woman clawed at him…

I was screaming for her to stop. Thrashing at those invisible bonds. The silence of the corridor was ringing in my ears. Jack, slowly, began to raise his head and looked at me from the other side of the room. His bright blue eyes were still wide with terror and he began to whisper something - something but I couldn't hear.

I couldn't move, couldn't stop it any of it. Couldn't hear what he -

Hands dragged me from that dream - from that nightmare. And when I surfaced, I remained half there. Half of my body, still within the stone, watching as…

"Breath."

The word was a pure command. Laced with magic that I didn't know he could use anymore.

But my eyes focused. My chest expanded. I slipped a bit further back into my body again.

"Again."

I did so. His face came into view, the only light shining in the room was from the bright moon. His hair was disheveled around his head; framing his face. And his eyes - oh those eyes. Yes, I remembered where I was. It was Friday night, my first night at his place. Jack and I had parted ways after a late evening on town. And now, he was sitting on my bed, his hand circling my shoulders and back.

Jack...

"Again," he said and I obeyed.

My bones felt brittle, my stomach rolling with nausea and I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to keel over and vomit.

Terror rippled through me, keeping its talons deep in my flesh as I watched him, lift his head up from that makeshift pentagram: the way he whispered and trembled as she -

I clamped down hard as my body tensed, trying to heave up that nausea. I focused on my breathing, on his hand that rubbed circles deep into my back. We stayed like that for uncounted minutes until I felt the veil of sickness lift. He rubbed my back throughout.

When I could finally move, when the nausea had subsided, I pulled him towards me.

"Please," I said and stared into those beautiful eyes: his handsome face that softened at the simple request. He nudged me gently and I shifted over, the mattress slowly depressing as he laid beside me. Jack wrapped his arms around me and I slid into him, tightening my own around his waist.

He placed a silent kiss to my hair as I reminded myself again and again that it was only a dream. Never would I allow something so horrible to happen to him. Never would he suffer like that.

Even though I repeated to myself again and again, I had the sickening feeling that this was, somehow, not a dream.

^.^

It was the first night of many that I was chased out of my dreams by a nightmare. I thought being at Jack's would banish them - give me a chance at some peaceful dreams. But, I was mistaken. So, I needed to get out - to free my mind. Slowly, oh, so slowly, I twisted out of Jack's grasp. He only shifted, groaned and turned around.

Quickly, I threw on a pair of sweatpants and a sweater, then made my way out of the condo. Jack had left the spare key in my keep and I decided to walk down the path of the park across the street. The night was brisk and I pulled my sweater tighter against my shoulders.

This dream wasn't like the others.

Something about it felt so… Real. Too real. And that magic… I knew he touched some kind of spiritual power, I felt the shimmer against my skin and the scent of it tangled in my nostrils.

Jack could use powers. But how? It didn't make any sense. He said that only Oliver could use his power, that it needed a third party.

I stopped on a bench, the large, modern condos still in sight.

There was a tug on the other realm - not how Pitch Black had tugged… This was different. I let the world of the living bleed out around me until I was sitting alone in the spirit realm. When no one was around, I decided there was a face I did want to see.

If I knew anything about Oliver, I knew he was clever. I used my darkness to create a shield around me, and looked for the familiar essence of him. His felt dark and wise and closed off from the world. When I found it, I pulled - hard - then, a mist of black and grey appeared in front of me before he occupied it. His blue eyes, though not as bright as Jacks', were wide.

"You're getting better and better at using the power," Oliver said with a tang of… Jealousy?

I felt a spike within the darkness I crafted, felt it roiling inside of me. To settle it, I decided to secure us, creating another type of shield. A black wall of adamant surrounded us. Toothless appeared not too far from us; protecting us.

"I had a strange dream," I mused when the darkness stopped thrumming through my veins. "Could Jack… Is there a way he could still use his powers?"

Steel-blue eyes hardened, "there is."

"How?" I croaked, "he said that he could no longer use it."

A bitter laugh barked out of Oliver - the most bitter I've ever heard, "he lied."

I waited and Oliver took up a seat beside me on the bench.

"I thought he would tell you by now. I don't want to have to be the one to… Explain." Oliver looked at me, eyes hard. "Jack is very capable of using his own powers now. He lied because…"

I clamped my mouth shut as I watch Oliver struggle with the words, "he… Jack did something. That's all I can say - he made a bargain to get his powers back."

"Then why doesn't he use them?" I shook my head.

"He can only use it in small doses - the channel is too fragile for him to use it in great amounts. But, he's saving it - I can't tell you for what."

I looked to the ground, "can you feel when he uses it?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you can't pass on?"

Silence. Before he said, "yes."

My eyes met his again, "do you think he'll ever tell me what happened to him - to you?"

Oliver shrugged, the most normal gesture I had ever seen. "He wants to, just - give him a little push. I'll warn you though," his voice turned hard. "It is going to be…. " he struggled for the words.

"It'll be something that you can't walk away from. When he shows you, if he shows you, please don't think any worst of us."

Just as I was going to speak, Oliver - with one of his tricks - slipped out of the shield I created by using that light he summoned. I felt the ripple of the wall as it broke and I opened my eyes, sitting alone in the quiet park.

Toothless appeared, and stalked towards me. I looked around, to make sure no one was around then put my hand on his head, slouching.

"What's going to happen, buddy?"

He looked at me with those bright, green eyes. I knew he couldn't speak, but I almost felt as if he said _you'll be okay._

Jack could no longer dodge my attempts to talk. Something very bad was going to happen and I needed him to tell me.

 _I've learned that they can run faster_ , Jack had once told me.

Now, I think those demons had finally stopped and were dragging him towards them.

I made it back to the condo before Jack awoke. Or, from the looks of where he laid, before he ever rolled over - or moved at all.

When I slid back between the sheets, I wrapped my arms around him again. Whispering into his chest.

"I'll never let anything happen to you."

Sleep found me shortly after - and, they were nightmare free.

^.^

I felt Jack's attention on me as I dressed the next morning, and throughout our hearty breakfast. Yet, he didn't push. Didn't demand to know what had dragged me into that screaming hell.

Which made me feel ever more guilty when I knew what I had to ask him.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Jack asked from where he leaned in the doorway of my room. We had finally returned home from a day out on town. We had planned to come home, eat supper and watch a movie. Then, tomorrow, he would show me his favorite place in town.

I answered him truthfully, running a hand through my hair. "With everything that's happened…. I don't know. I think it's torn open some… part of me that was slowly… I don't know." I began pacing.

He nodded and waited for me to continue.

So I told him. All of it. I stumbled over the parts that still made my arm rise on my arms and made me feel ill. He only listened.

And when I was done, my body began to shake. The hollowness remained, but, speaking it out loud… voicing it to him…

The grip of those terrors lightened - began to fade like morning dew on the frozen ground. As if Jack was the sun, warming my world. Jack slowly pushed off the door frame, moving closer to me.

And kissed me.

Once. Twice.

I kissed him back. It was gentle - soft. I slid my arms around his shoulders, opening my mouth to him, and his tongue slid in, caressing my own.

He hardened against me, and I groaned into his mouth.

The sound snapped whatever leash Jack had on himself, and his hands grabbed my hips, grounding me. The kiss deepened, Jack leaning over me, pressing us closer - so close I groaned again when I felt him against me. His attention went to my neck, he leaned down to kiss the sensitive line of my jaw and neck.

He tugged on the hem of my shirt and I lifted my arms up and up, until he tossed it to the side. His lips continued their roaming on my collarbone, my chest - I plunged my hands into his hair and arched back. His hands grabbed my hips, roughly and held me still as he planted kisses down my torso. Until he knelt before me, his lips toying on the hem of my jeans. The sight of him, on his knees, placing teasing kisses on my hipbone had my own excitement visible from the bulge in my jeans. Jack's eyes slid to that bulge, a wicked smile spread across his face as he slowly dipped his head and kissed under my belly button. My lower stomach tightened at the sensation.

I snarled at him, a silent order, and he laughed, kissing my hipbone, roughly - then gently. He was teasing me, teasing me so horribly I had to touch him, had to feel more of him. I clawed at his shirt, he shifted enough to let me pull it off him and toss it to the ground, revealing that beautiful lean body, his powerful muscles flickering in his back as he lifted his arms to my hips.

His mouth crashed into mine, his bare skin so warm against my own and I gripped his face in my hands. I was so breathless when he pulled away, his eyes held such an intensity - that heat focused solely on me.

"You know where this will end," Jack purred. He slowed down, gently running his hands up my sides and I yelped at the sensation that flitted across my skin.

"It's rude to tease," I barked, my turn to feel the planes of his chest, his stomach and his back.

Then, from under my stroking hands, something caught my attention. The silken skin turned rough and thick, starting from the curve of his waist.

Confused, I glanced down and saw the large, red scar that started where my fingers now gently touched.

Guilty, I glanced at him but those once bright and mischievous blue jewels were dull. Jack stepped out of my hold and bent to pick up his shirt from the floor.

"I-I'm sorry," I gasped. When I saw the marks for what they were - three, long and deep scars were ripped into his back. If they looked this bad after healing, I only wondered how horrible they looked when they were fresh. Slowly, Jack turned when I couldn't tear my gaze away from those deep cuts.

His chest was no better, now that I was looking closely at his skin. Scars that ranged from burn marks to more deep cuts scattered along his chest, his waist and his stomach. I covered my mouth as I approached him.

"Jack, what happened to you?" My eyes burned - so many emotions were swirling within my body.

He gulped, clenching the fabric in his hands, before he threw the shirt over his head and straightened it. I reached out, grabbing his wrist, turning him to face me.

"Jack -" When I met his eyes - they were so sad. There was no life behind them like there had been a few moments ago. My heart stopped beating, and for a moment I was thrown into that nightmare. His eyes…. Just like how they were when he could barely lift his head and…

He took my hand in his, our fingers slowly lacing together and he dropped his gaze to the ground.

"I've been meaning to tell you. It just… hard to get past the fear…"

"I would never force you to tell me," I gently pulled him closer to me, taking his other hand in my own. "But, I would never want anything to happen to you."

He stayed quiet, and I watched him, gave him time to clear his thoughts. I squeezed his hand - mostly to remind myself that this wasn't my nightmare.

"I want to show you, Hic." Jack said, slowly. He lifted his gaze to mine, "please, don't think too badly of me when you see."

 _I would never think badly of you_ , I wanted to say but I didn't have the chance. Jack, using his own powers, pulled me into that unconscious state. I stood on the edge of the dark void when a door formed within the night mist.

I knew what would happen from here.

I walked towards it - another white door. A door that didn't lead to my mind, but to his. Before opening it, I hesitated, was I ready for what I would see? Could I…

The door opened, as if Jack refused to let me go back now. A force, so strong, so powerful, shoved me inside and the door slammed close behind me.

Long, tethered bonds lay neatly organized in front of me. Like Jack knew every single memory, remembered every single thing he learned and was shown. One began shining - a sliver of light in this dark world, and I moved towards it. A part of his mind opened for me and I followed that bond until the dark abyss drank up the light.

I blinked and I was standing in a room - I knew it felt far away from the UK. I took in my surroundings - it looked like a cell you would see from a prison. There was a toilet and a small, dirty sink. In the corner, I found the twins sitting in each other's arms. They couldn't have been anymore than eight years old. Oliver, who looked as if someone had beaten him, was holding Jack close to him.

The iron door opened and the twins froze as three men walked in.

"Leave him alone," Oliver hissed. From the dim lighting, I could see the bruises that formed on his face, the split lip… and, from the dried blood on his clothes, I could tell they didn't have anyone to clean up those wounds.

"Grab the younger one," the tallest of the men, ordered. Both men stalked towards the corner of the cell: living conditions were… unbearable… dried vomit laid stale in the corner of the room. The hay that was compacted down suggested that it rarely got changed out.

The men ripped the twins apart, Oliver screamed, thrashed and fought to get back to Jack. And, they weren't gentle with his attack. One of the men, a full grown man, immobilized Oliver, pinning him to the ground. The other pulled Jack out to the leader, in the hall.

"You think it was a good idea to try to escape?" The man laughed, it echoed through the walls. "I'll teach you to think twice about pulling stunts like that again."

Bile filled my throat as they strung Jack up on one of the posts outside of the cell. They ripped off his shirt, exposing his back, which was mildly scarred and bruised. He was so thin - both Jack and Oliver - were so, _so_ thin. Their ribs jutted out, I could see every bone in Jacks small back…

The leader unraveled the whip onto the ground. Oliver roared from within the cell, thrashing, clawing, telling the man to take him instead…

Jack's' eyes were wet from the tears sliding down his face as the whip was drawn back. There was a thunderous crack as it cleaved through the air. The lash, of flesh and claws and leather, snapped through the cell, the walls.

Through the very foundations of the prison.

^.^

I stopped listening to the sound of tearing flesh. Stopped watching the gore of Jack's back as it was ripped up by that whip. The man dumped Jack back into the cell, released his cronies, and locked the twins inside.

Jack was sobbing, crying out in pain when Oliver could finally scramble up to his brother and hold his hand, examine his back…

It was completely ripped open, three spots in particular, that I now knew would never completely heal. Oliver ran to the sink, ripping off his own shirt, wetting it and rushing back to start cleaning up the mess on his brothers back.

"I'm going to get you out of here, we'll try again," Oliver said, in between his mending. Trying to soothe Jacks cries of agony. From the conditions of their living space and the sheer size of his wounds… I didn't want to imagine the infection that could come from that.

"He'll find us again," Jack said quietly, sniffling.

"I won't let him touch you again," Oliver snarled, bringing his twin closer, cleaning the wound.

As I watched the memory, I wanted to hold them - to protect them too. This… This wasn't some nightmare that I could walk away from and say never happened. I can't wake up and walk away from this…

But, neither could Jack. The scars on his back - on his body - were permanent reminders of this hell.

Two days passed and Jack's health got worse. The leader, however, was fascinated with the progression. He came to the cell, took notes, mumbled and then walked away. Oliver shouted curses every time he came around, and then tended to his brother.

His back…

An infection started to take root in the three deepest cuts. Oliver, who had stopped eating to feed and care for his brother, also began to get worn down. I pounded on the walls, on the cell and roared at the doctor. I wanted to kill him - wanted to drag him to those gates and have Pitch devour him bit by bit, slowly.

No. I wanted to rip him to shreds. With my bare hands - my teeth.

Another day passed and the monster came into the cell. Jack had no strength to lift himself off the ground when the leader grabbed Oliver and dragged him out of the cell. Even though he was depleted of strength and nutrition, Oliver fought like a wild cat.

My body moved - like it was not entirely my own doing. It took me down a hall - at the end was a steel door. I didn't' want to go there - but I walked through it like it was made of mist. It lead to a corridor of stairs.

I followed them down, down down, when I came across another door.

Beyond it - I was not ready for what was beyond it.

The man had Oliver strapped down to a table - it was a metal operating table. Oliver laid on it, machines strapped to him. His arms and legs were strapped down.

The man walked over to him, a metal probe in his hand and he jabbed it into Oliver's side.

A voltage, so strong I saw the purple streak, zapped through Oliver's' body. His back arched, screaming and pulling on those straps holding him down.

"Ah, there we are," the man wasn't even staring at him. He just stared at the strange monitor - what was he measuring? I wanted to claw out his eyes. The doctor took out a small recording device and turned it on.

"This is day forty eight for the experimentation on the twin project. I am Dr. Mengele, I have subject number -"

"Let me out of here!" Oliver yelled from the bench. The doctor ignored him.

"Subject number 9715. After an initial shock of 60 volts, heart rate is high. Blood pressure," he checked another monitor, "blood pressure is fair."

I swallowed bile as I watched the rest of the sick experiments. He was determined to see if he could change Oliver's eye color, by spraying something into them. I cringed, closing my eyes each time Oliver screamed.

And then, the man knocked him out with a chemical and carried him back upstairs to his cell. Once the doctor came into the dank room, Jack shrunk even lower to the ground - at the sight of Oliver. Mengele dumped him on the ground and turned away.

Jack crawled over to Oliver, now holding his brother in his arms. His twins eyes were red and swollen from the chemicals Mengele put in there. Jack gazed at the door of their cell… and I could see how desperately wanted to run - wanted to get out of here. Maybe… Maybe if he left Oliver he could find help and then come back for him...

But, Jack wasn't prepared to take that chance, wasn't in any shape to escape and spend another night in those surrounding woods. Instead held his unconscious twin closer to him and cried.

I crumbled down in the cell, heavy sobs tore their way through me and I cried with them.

Before I knew it, the vision was torn from my eyes and I was staring into those deep blue hues.

"H-How?" I gasped.

Jack leaned back, "our biological father had put us up for adoption. This man, Mengele, he saw we had a unique gift and wanted to try and solve the mystery of twin telepathy."

"Oliver was - I thought he died here," I couldn't form a proper functioning sentence. I couldn't even think about what happened to him the time they were with that cruel man.

"He did. We were there for... it felt like years, but it was only a couple of months, along with two other twins. They died shortly after some of the other experiments he would do. We were his favorite - particularly Oliver. Because every time he did something to Oliver, it worked on me. But never the opposite way. I got these," he looked towards his back and his eyes glazed over, "I got these the first time Oliver and I tried to escape. After he lashed me with the whip, he never cleaned the wounds. And our rooms were vile. It was infected for days, so bad that I thought I wouldn't make it. But, Oliver stayed up with me, cleaning the wounds."

I tried not to let the horrors of what he had faced - what I had seen with my own eyes - show on my face. He was only a boy and had been whipped.. Oliver had been experimented on... And for the wounds to be so bad, even now in adulthood…. Yes, the infection must have been deep in his tissue.

"Luck was on our side one day when a pair of hikers found the compound. They reported it, Mengele ran when the authorities came. They took out of that place, but Ollie and I were hanging on with our last days."

I gulped as I stared at him.

He blinked past tears, I could see them welling in his eyes as he took a big breathe in. "All this time, we thought we would be free. But, we never realized we would be put back into the fostering system and our greatest fear, was that he would come and claim us again. Then we would be dead. But, as lucky would have it, a well known paranormal investigator found us."

A tear slid down my face and his face was already wet.

He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts, "we lived a much better life. Like fate was giving us a second chance. We were both extremely intelligent and made our way through home-schooling. Our adopted-father was a paranormal investigator and I think - I think that's what got Ollie and I hooked. It was liberating to help the dead find peace - liberating to help those dealing with traumatic deaths find peace. Ollie wanted to travel more, to learn more and experience more, where as I wanted to continue to get a doctorate and do theoretical research."

I had a distinctive feeling I knew where this was going.

"Our father gave him the funds to travel. He had been on his eighth month before he came here and -" he took a ragged breath in. "And, I felt everything Ollie had. It felt like we were back in that hell - where I couldn't do anything. I told my father I wanted to come to Europe and he didn't ask any questions, he just gave me the money to start a company down here."

That's how come Jack was here. "Did you see what he looked like?" I asked quietly.

He nodded, "I was going to search for him. But knew I needed to gain access to my cleaved powers so, I sought after a renowned demonologist. She wasn't the usual type, like the one's who could send demons away, she could bind your soul to one."

Something shuddered through me as I remembered that dream. Those symbols, the pentagram and that woman.. And then, there was that time during our second case, when we went to the shrine. Those workers had seemed as if they had seen a ghost, another time Jack used a small slice of his never ending power.

I also realized something else, Jack was very careful with his words. I hadn't picked up on it before, "did you see who the man was?"

Jack was quiet, staring at me with stone cold eyes, "I made sure that I got one thing out of the experience. That when I run into that man - I would have full access to my fractured power. And that I would give Oliver and I the retribution we deserved."

He took a deep, steadying breath, "it was Mengele. That's who I saw through Oliver's eyes."

I stumbled back, towards the bed. I had to sit down, my head was swarming. The room suddenly began spinning and the ground had felt as if it had fallen from my feet. I had so many questions, so many things that suddenly made sense. Oliver had never mentioned that he knew the man. Just the he did horrible things to him - horrible things for days… as if…Oh god.

As if, he was punishing him. Punishing him for escaping...

I wasn't sure if I was breathing anymore.

"When you asked me if I had any talents, as in powers, I said no," Jack looked up through his lowered head, "I wasn't entirely truthful with you."

"The demon can let you have access your powers." It was exactly what I suspected. That dream wasn't entirely a nightmare, not entirely a dream.

Jack was in trouble. He was no longer running from his demons because, he was working with them - using them.

He nodded, "instead of a demon answering the call, though. Something else found me through the contact, a goddess of sorts."

"Does she wish to harm you?" I said quietly.

"I don't know."

We stayed quiet, all of the sounds in the condo suddenly as still and hollow as I felt. Jack truly lived through a nightmare - went to hell and back, then was now bent on finding this man to make him pay.

I wanted him to pay too, to seek that retribution Jack talked about.

"I want him dead," I hissed in a voice that wasn't my own. Pitch, slumbering beneath my skin, his powers crackled over me. I looked up at Jack, not sure of what he saw when his eyes widened. "I want to help you."

Power, like I've never felt before, thundered through my veins and my ears. All I heard was that crackling darkness, the world flickering in and out. That's when I saw it, saw her. She was standing in the doorway, a smirk on her lips as she beheld me.

I did not cower to her, not when her own darkness seemed to contend with my own. Her power seemed to beckon to me - to Pitch. I almost let some slip, almost made this world shift and dragged her to him.

Pitch laughed in the back of my head and I forced the world back.

"When you told me you saw her, in your dream, I knew that you were… You were meant to see me." Jack was looking at me as I focused the world around myself in and out. I focused on his words.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," Jack ran a hand through his hair and I blinked - the world now fully in focus.

"Don't be sorry, don't be sorry for any of it." I stood up, closing the gap between us in a few steps. My skin was hot, my shirt still discarded on the floor. I grabbed Jack's hands, "I'm honored, absolutely honored, to be able to be with you, as a friend, as a lover, anything." I pulled him closer, my breath hitting his skin. "I want to be with you, whatever you need, I want to give it to you."

And I knew, he wanted to be the same for me. He stared at me, light flickering back to his eyes as I slowly lifted up his shirt. I peeled it off, pulling away and leaning down, to kiss those scars across his chest.

He sucked in a breath when I kissed another scar, and another. Slowly, I turned him around and beheld the scars on his back. I traced my fingers across his strong muscles there, no longer showing signs of malnutrition. Slowly, so slowly, I bent to kiss those scars. I kissed them over and over. As if I could replace the memories with this - with my kisses and this moment.

When I was done, I held him in my arms and whispered into his neck, "it's going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me." I smiled and nipped his earlobe.

A low, predatory growl emitted from his throat and he spun around in my arms, his sapphire eyes burning. "Get rid of you?" he chuckled, deeply and pulled me forward. "The fun hasn't even begun yet."

Our lips crashed together and I wanted to touch him when I felt Jack grind into my hip. Breathlessly, I reached for him and he hissed. Jack grabbed my hands and placed them on his hips as he grinned wickedly. "Play later," he growled and pushed me towards the bed.

He nudged me to sit on the edge, and Jack knelt again, smiling at the excitement he caused me. His hands worked fast at the buttons on my jeans, I lifted my hips up and kicked them off.

I laid in front of him as he watched me, wholly naked. My own scars, from self infliction, were in an array across my ribs, my hips and thighs.

Jack leaned down to the first set, just under my ribs, and kissed them. I closed my eyes, wriggling under his warmth as he, slowly, kissed more, and more.

He was taking away my memories of them - replacing them with this moment. Just like I had for him.

I nudged against him, ready and panting, when he lifted his head from the last of my marks and brought his lips to mine. His hand, so teasingly close, and I hissed into his lips. "Play later."

He grinned, "what a wicked, dirty mouth you have."

Any retort I had, left my lips in a sigh as he grasped me. Then, he moved.

I wanted to watch him, what else he would do, but that hand, in between my thighs, filled my veins with the roaring of my blood. My toes curled and I clenched the sheets in my hands as he sped up, faster.

Jack covered my groan with his mouth, working me in great, sweeping motions. I felt my climax inching closer and closer until -

Jack's mouth was on me, his tongue flicking against that sensitive shaft. I dug my fingers into his hair, my hips bucked and my orgasm shuddered through me.

The ecstasy of the climax left me panting and I lifted my head to watch as Jack rose from me. A cocky grin on his lips and my mouth went dry as he reached across, wiping sweat from my brow. Then kissed me, the taste of my climax still mingled in his mouth. He ground against my thigh, his pants tight from the bulge.

I pushed up, gripping his arms and pushed his back on the bed, hovering above him. I stumbled with the buttons on his slacks, fighting against that hardened part of him. Jack sprang free and I licked my lips, touching the silken skin. He was huge and soft in my hands, yet hard as granite.

Jack hissed at me, "let's see what that wicked mouth of yours can do."

Indeed.

I knelt on the edge of the bed, Jack leaning up with his arm behind his head, grinning - watching me.

Cocky bastard.

I put my mouth on him and he jerked at the contact with a bark, " _shit._ " I laughed around him and took him deeper.

Jack growled in approval at my movement, at the pace, when I flicked my tongue over him or grazed him with my teeth. I felt him getting close to his end and I decided to show him exactly my wicked mouth could do. He roared, fisting the sheets in his hands, his knuckles bone white, when he came.

I fell in bed next to him and he brought my mouth to his, kissing me deeply. We laid in bed, lazily touching each other - holding each other in our arms.

I'm sure most couples could keep each other from sleeping all night but Jack was… ravenous. I suppose I was equally to blame. I couldn't stop, couldn't get enough of the taste of him in my mouth, the feel of him inside of me. More, more, more - until I thought I might burst out of my skin from pleasure.

"Is it normal? The frenzy?" I said, with a mouthful of bread as we sat at the table for breakfast. We'd barely made it out of the room, when I had taken one look at him, his muscled and scarred back, giving me a full view of his glorious backside.

"I don't know, I've never... " He blushed.

I nibbled on my eggs, pondering what we should do with the rest of the Sunday. My last day here - or I could spend one more night and make it to school in the morning.

Looking at Jack, the sun hitting his hair, skin and eyes, I knew I wanted to spend the night again. I picked up the dishes and Jack put them into the dishwasher, before stepping over to me.

His scent filled my nostrils and he kissed me, I wrapped my arms around his neck when he chuckled. "Let's, at least, try to make it out of the house today," he grinned and I hissed at him. He was right, though - we had to get out. He gave me another kiss on my forehead before he strode to his room to change.

"Oh, by the way," he emerged in the large kitchen again, leaning against the wall. "Your room, or mine. Whichever one you choose, we'll be sleep there."

I grinned, and he turned around gracefully and strode back into his room when I called out, "yours is bigger!"

"I know," he purred and I gave his room a vulgar gesture, then laughed as I made my way to my own to grab clothes and dressed.

It wasn't until I was dressing, when Jack received a phone call from Merida - whom was in Russia on the orphanage case. His skin was pale, his eyes completely wide.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Zel - something bad has happened at the orphanage.."

My heart dropped, "you need to go - we need to go and make sure she's okay."

In a heartbeat, Jack was out of the room and I followed him, watching at he made a call on his cell. I paced in the kitchen, Zel was my friend - my teacher, in a sense. If anyone could help her, it was me and Jack. I knew, from his relationship with her, that she was important to him. And I needed to get out there, to help her.

"I'm going." I demanded when Jack finally got through to the charter he used from his father's never ending supply of money.

He looked me over, the determination in my eyes - he wasn't going to leave me here.

"You'll miss school," he said and I shook my head.

"I don't care, I'm going."

When the person on the other line came through, Jack simply said, "I need two tickets going to Saint Petersburg, immediately."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:** Well, there you have it! This is the longest chapter I've written, but it has some good backstory. I hope you enjoyed and want to know what you thought of this chapter! I'll do shout outs if you do :D

Please, review, follow and favorite!

Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17 - Gods and Monsters

**Authors Pre-notes:** Hello all! Thank you for all the reviews and messages on the last chapter! I know, it was a little 'M' rated, but we all know it was going to happen :)

Shout-outs' to the awesome reviews! Thank you again, everyone. I think this was officially the most reviews I've had on a chapter! It's a great feeling, as an author. So thank you, so much!

 **Guest -** I love that, it's a great idea! I've definitely have mulled it over and believe this chapter might satisfy some of that food for thought. The only thing, though, is Jack and Hiccup are both equally keeping big secrets. Jack is keeping the terms of his deal with Eris from Hiccup, and Hiccup is keeping the terms of being an anchor from Jack. It's very complicated, and I almost feel sorry for them if anything was to come up.

 **girlmixi -** Thank you for your review! It was a risky chapter to put up, because I knew the rating was going to sky rocket for that chapter alone #supportthelove

 **MissPurple1234 -** I do that too! It's always a little risky to invest time into a good fanfic. It's kind of like shopping at Winners/Marhshall's, sometimes it's good and sometimes it's a little bit of hunting! Thank you for the review, it's great to hear from a someone brand new!

 **Amari45 - ** Yes, I agree it was very 'M'rated, but I didn't want to change the entire story to 'M' just for a little sex scene, haha :P. I completely agree, Hiccup is the kind of character that can have these dark thoughts. But, actually having him go through with it is another story. He's easily emotional and rash, at least to me. That's why it makes it so easy for me to make him a little darker, plus with his gifts as the anchor, it's a constant battle of good and bad. Thank you for the review! I really appreciate hearing what you have to say!

 **Masks of JM and SM -** Jack's past was really hard for me too! I wanted some truth behind it, plus have a motivation for him. Doing research about some of his past was probably the worst of it, but I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. I'm so glad you liked it, and Flynn is definitely going to be making an appearance sometime in the near future!Hehehe...

 **Raxacorcofallapatoreous -** As always, thank you for the dedicated reviews! The feedback is super appreciated. I know how hard it is being an author on Fanfic and trying to figure out what's wrong with your story because there's no reviews! So, truly, thank you for always reviewing weekly :)

Enjoy the chapter!

..::Song of Inspiration - Lana Del Rey: Gods and Monsters::..

^.^

I hadn't known that the ladies had found commercial flights ahead of time, to help move the investigation along faster. They left Friday night, arriving late Saturday and wanted to do a walk through of the orphanage early on Sunday. That's why they were out there to begin with, and that's when we had gotten the call. The time difference wasn't too significant, it was a couple of hours ahead of us. We took a charter from a small airport, the flight had a layover of ten hours in Denmark. Then, we would be on a commercial flight to Saint Petersburg. Luckily, Berk was on the way to the airport and I stopped in to tell the Hoffersons' of the situation.

To my surprise, I almost leapt out of my skin when Jack suggested he talk to them.

And, again, to my surprise, they took the trip quite well. I didn't want to make the time sensitive situation worst, so instead of asking them any further questions (or changing their minds) I went up to my room and began packing.

Everyone in the house seemed to take the news okay, other than Astrid, who loomed over me as I packed a quick bag. I didn't know how long we would be gone for, so I packed as much as I could with the little time we had.

"Don't you think this is a bad idea?" Astrid asked after several moments. She tried to step in my line of sight, but I dutifully ignored her and walked into the bathroom to grab my toiletries.

"Hiccup," She barked my name and grabbed my arm. I had never seen her so agitated before as she gripped onto my skin, and I yelped.

"Ow, it'll be fine, Astrid." I rubbed the red, burning skin on my arm. "Why're you so worried?"

"Why can't you see that this not a good idea," she frowned and dropped her arms.

I stepped away from her grasp, "why do you say -"

"I just get this feeling. Look, Hiccup, this is going to sound crazy but -" she began pacing in front of me and I watched her, carefully. Astrid ran a hand through her hair. "Ever since you told me about your work, I've been having these… dreams."

My eyebrows pulled together, "what kind of dreams?"

"I can never remember them, when I wake up. I just get this sense of dread. But, the other night, I finally remembered one."

I waited for her as she stared back at me with her grey-blue eyes.

When she didn't say anything, I let out a breath, "Astrid, you're just imagining it." I continued packing my bag.

"I dreamt that you were dying."

I froze, and maybe Astrid had seen some kind of terror in my eyes, because she stepped towards me and grabbed my hands.

"Please, Hiccup," I saw the gleam of tears behind her eyes, begging, "please, don't go."

^.^

The memory haunted me throughout the flight. We were just clearing land, finally, and I couldn't stop thinking about her warning. Frustrated, I should have dug deeper into her mind. Even though, I felt like I was invading her privacy, I wanted to know what she saw. What could make Astrid so unhinged? She said her dream was of me dying, it must have been horrible.

Jack had remained quiet, throughout the flight. He didn't so much as look at me, he only kept his eyes on the deep blue of the ocean, the white passing clouds, and now, the forming lands below us. I wanted to ask him about something - anything.

"Do you like your…. father?" I didn't know what he was to Jack. Slowly, he tore his gaze away from the window and looked down at the open book on his lap. I wanted to draw him in that moment, the title came to my mind as I stared at him.

 _Fallen Angel in the Sky_

"I owe my life and gratitude to him. He's been good to Ollie and I, and I've dedicated my life to pay him back one day," Jack said.

"Is that why you do these cases?" I leaned forward, towards him.

He shook his head, "I do these cases to get my name out there, and help spirits find peace."

I understood that - it was why I wanted to continue doing it. And, with this power, I don't see why I shouldn't.

We continued in our silence, Jack began reading and I quietly sketched my drawing of him, while absentmindedly thinking about Denmark. I had never been off the island, it was exciting to go somewhere new. I wasn't sure what to expect, even though I knew we wouldn't have much time to explore, we would most likely go to the hotel and sleep. It had already been a long day, with booking the flights this morning, driving to Berk, packing, flying and then navigating the airport for our commercial flight to Saint Petersburg. I wasn't focusing on my drawing at all, until I looked down at my progress and took a sharp intake of breath.

By the time I realized what I had drawn, I quickly covered it up. Jack noticed my movements and peered over my book, "what's that?"

"Nothing," I said in a quick breath, "just some rough sketches. Oh, we're here," I looked out the window and peered at the city forming below. We were instructed to put on our seat belts as we would be landing soon. I forced the thought of the drawing out of my mind, at least for now, as we navigated our way through the bustling airport and to our hotel that was just beside the airport.

Instantly, Jack flopped on the bed as he made a phone call. I padded over to him, sitting on the edge.

"Hey, how's the situation?" Jack said to the person on the other line, I had a feeling it was Merida. He waited from a response.

"We just landed in Denmark, layover is ten hours, so we'll be there as soon as we can. Take care of her." Then he hung up.

I didn't feel any jealousy when I heard the passion in his voice as he talked about Zel - in fact, I knew how worried he was about her, regardless of their tangled history.

"What happened?" I asked as Jack put an arm over his eyes.

He stayed quiet, so I asked again. "Jack, what happened? I need to know."

"I don't know the details. But, Merida and her were doing a tour of the grounds, when Zel picked up on a negative entity. She's been in a coma ever since."

I was on my feet in an instant, "you didn't tell me it was that bad!"

"There's nothing I can do about it. The damn place is so far away," he breathed in. "I didn't want to make it any worse of a situation."

"That doesn't give you the right to lie to me," I fisted my hands at my sides. This bothered me more than it should have - Rapunzel was my friend too. I had the right to know if something bad was happening.

"I didn't lie to you -"

"You withheld information from me. I know you're trying to protect me, but, maybe you need to remember that I'm part of this team."

He only stared at me when I continued, trying to calm myself down, "just... no more secrets between us, okay?"

"No more secrets."

"Good." I said, and slumped over. As much as I wanted to explore the area, I was exhausted. And needed a shower - desperately. I walked over to my bag, fishing out some sleeping clothes and a towel.

"I'm going to shower," I announced and Jack grinned.

"Care for some company?" He purred as I strolled into the large bathing room.

I didn't object.

^.^

Liar - that's what I was. A two, faced liar. Jack hadn't intentionally lied to me about Zel, but just the thought of him being able to keep something so important from me, made me feel uncertain. But, it wasn't anything compared to what I was keeping from him.

Jack had made sure to give me an apology worth his company in the shower. We made love once more when we were freshly dry, then he had decided to take a nap. I waited for Jack to fall asleep beside me. Listening to his heavy breathing, making sure it was even and deep. When I knew he was asleep I, slowly, got out of bed to rifle through my bags.

I found the drawing that I stuffed deep into the pockets. The image I had conjured up on the plane, while attempting to draw Jack. Even looking at it still startled me. I didn't draw Jack like I had been intending to. Instead, I drew Zel, and she was sitting in the corner of a dark room, a large, humanoid shadow was standing over her, and it was pointing straight at me.

I could see the beckoning of it's hand. Like it called me here. From thousands and thousands of miles, this figure found me. It somehow tracked me down, found a way to get me here and now…

Now what? I didn't know what it wanted - but, I knew that this figure had something to do with Zel being unconscious right now.

I wouldn't tell Jack, though. And, I wasn't going to tell him of Astrids' warning, either. It didn't matter - not the way it should have. I knew what my purpose was, being the anchor, feeling death. That was another topic I would never tell Jack about. That I felt every death that passed through the Gates. Besides, I knew the consequences of constantly stepping into the Dark Lands. I knew that things would start hunting me, like the passenger and this demon. The warning from my father seemed like it had been years ago now.

I walked to the window of our hotel, peeling back the curtains to gaze at the new world before me. The moon was hidden in shadows that fell over my face, as I gazed back at Jack.

I was the liar here.

^.^

The commercial flight, was more of a private flight. The plane was another small, charter and only a handful of people were on board by the time we took off. The second our flight was in the air, I started getting a headache. It began at the base of my neck and moved to the front of my temples. Throughout the whole ride, I slouched in my chair, gripping my head. Jack explained it could be the change in pressure. I wasn't convinced, but I gritted my teeth through the flight. From the window, a dark shadow flashed by and I jumped.

"Did you see that?" I pressed against the glass, straining my neck. The headache began pounding again, but the coolness of the glass helped numb the sensation.

"See what?" Jack leaned in close. Another shadow darted by, then another. I gasped and lurched back into my seat.

"They're everywhere," I stared wide-eyed outside. The pounding in against my skull started getting harder, pounding faster. I dropped my head into my hands, and I was pretty sure someone - Jack - was trying to talk to me.

I stayed quiet through the rest of the flight, but, it wasn't until the plane landed before it felt like the ground around me burst open. It felt like my entire skull was being ripped open.

But, that was just the beginning. Faces, skeletal and ghastly, sprung from the earth. I didn't recognize any of the faces, and - oh God - they were everywhere. I couldn't see the seats in front of me anymore, Jack was nowhere insight. Pale, shining hands reached for me and I remained glued to my seat. Mouths opened, like they were trying to speak, and all of those faces looked like they wanted something from me.

A large, pit of darkness started to form behind the ghosts. Some of them pointed at me, then to the black void. And I knew, suddenly, what they had wanted. Without understanding, I knew, they wanted me to go into that void - into that place of death.

' _You shouldn't live - you should come back with us.'_

I started screaming as the hands grabbed me this time. Cold, shock shuddered through my body - I thought I heard someone, distantly talking to me. But, I couldn't be sure, not when I was surrounded by all these faces and hands, and that darkness began growing.

"Make them go away!" I unbuckled my seat belt, standing to fight off the pale hands that reached for me - to pull me into that darkness. Instantly, I was thrown into my biggest fear - when I first met Jack, I was afraid of death coming back to claim me.

"MAKE THEM GO AWAY!" I screamed. There was no help for me though, not as these sad, hollow faces were my witness's. Pain began to consume me, I had a feeling I was going to pass out. Good, I welcomed it. Anything to get me away from all the dark stares and sadness. Black spots glittered through my vision, growing larger and larger, that I could not see anything beyond them.

The faces disappeared. And so did the pain, as I was swept under the sweet, black waters.

^.^

I woke up standing on a hill. The land was in a forever twilight zone, a large, spiraling tree was the only thing beside me on that hilltop. And, thankfully, the faces were no longer around me.

A distinct feeling of this place made me think that, this somehow wasn't the Dark Lands. No, this was something different. An entirely different realm - if that was, at all possible. To have multiple realms of death, parallel to each other. I grazed the large, tree with my fingers. The bark felt rough, yet something about this tree seemed old. The feel of it, had me wondering just how many centuries this lone tree has seen.

A woman stepped out from behind the large base - not just any woman, it was the woman from my dream. I stumbled back, she looked different now, somehow less dark. Her hair was still flowing around her, like a view of night. She was wearing a ebony dress that clung to her body and swept to the ground.

"Hello, little anchor," she purred, her voice was sweet and lovely. My heart started pounding in my ears, everything about her screamed at me to run. Her body, yet slender, was lithe and I could only imagine the power she could wield if I was in her world.

"Who are you?" I tried not to let the terror show in my voice, but it shook as I watched her carefully. She lingered at the base of the massive tree, gently running her hands over the bark, stroking it as if it were a persons skin. Perhaps, maybe to her, it was.

"My name is Eris," her red eyes flickered to mine. "But, I don't think you're interested in my name, boy."

"Why did you bring me here?"

Eris clicked her tongue at me, "you've got quite the mouth. I'm surprised he doesn't have you on a tighter leash."

"Jack doesn't control me," I narrowed my eyes at her and she grinned.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about Jack," Eris leaned against the base of the tree, amusement flickering in her eyes. "I was talking about the Death God."

I froze, clenching my teeth together as she continued, "send him my wishes, boy. It's been an age since I've come across him." I refused to take her bait, but something about her words had wondering if she meant Pitch. I guess, I had never knew his origins - had never been inclined to ask.

"Are you talking about Pitch Black?"

"Ah," she drawled, "is that what he's going by now? " Eris laughed and tipped her chin up, "yes, Pitch Black. Him and I have known each other for, well, a very long time in mortal terms."

"Why am I here?" I asked again looking around the world again. Nothing was here, nothing living beyond the red and orange of the twilight world.

"Hasn't your lover told you? I've been contracted," she looked me over, her red eyes gleaming. "But, I have my reasons to want to look for you, boy. The same reasons all those other souls are looking for you, to drag you back into death where you belong."

I dropped my arms, she was lying - she must be lying. She was a Goddess after all - could be cunning and cruel and using her words to taunt me. Is that what this place was? Death? I somehow, doubted it.

"Oh, don't give me that look." She crooned and picked at her nails, "sending you back to death isn't as much of a thrill for me, as keeping you alive."

"What do you want with me?" This time, I didn't hide the tremble in my voice.

"You're going to help me, boy." Eris dropped her hands.

"You, a Goddess, need my help?" I raised an eyebrow and she gave me a wicked grin.

"I could just as easily take what I want," she hissed. "But, I prefer to keep you alive, and not go through the hassle of trying to find him again."

"Why Pitch? Who is he?"

She gave me a long, drawn out stare, before answering. "He's a Deity. One of the primordial deities, actually. The last name I heard him go by was Erebus, the Death God of darkness and shadow. You see, there was a rift between some of the Gods and Goddess'. The Gods whom had too much power, too much control seemed to forget they weren't the only ones whom were immortal," she grinned at the memory.

"The War lasted for many years after the legends stopped. I was slaughtering on the battlefield before your world even existed. That's where I had met Erebus, and that was the last time I had seen him."

I had heard of the War, the Trojan War, it was a classic Greek tale. But, hearing the encounter from the actual Goddess, who was supposedly the cause of the War was a completely different take on events. She had been a warrior - slaughtering Gods, Goddess', demons and, without a doubt, humans. And now, somehow, I was in her realm and completely at her mercy.

"Why are you looking for Pitch - I mean, Erebus, after all this time?"

She smiled, a cruel and wicked thing, "I want what any female wants, Hiccup," she drew out my name with the voice of a lover. I wasn't convinced and it must have shown on my face because she added, "alright, I want to see him again and sent for you because I have a deal for you."

"What kind of deal?" I asked, slowly.

"Has Jack told you the extent of our little agreement?" Eris grinned.

"No, he has his reasons."

"Well, I have a feeling you will, very much, want to work with me once you hear about the bargain." She looked at her fingernails again. As if she wasn't some thousand year old Goddess who could wipe me off the world like an ant.

My mind screamed at me - _don't do it, don't do it._

"What's the bargain with Jack?" I needed to be careful, needed to be smart with my words.

Like a cat playing with her food, she gave me a coy smile that seemed to say, she won. "Jack needed access to his full powers. Him and his brother have unique abilities. Did you know, there are thirteen types of psychokinesis? Jack and Oliver are capable of at least ten of them, that I've been aware of."

I didn't know what types of power that was, but I had a decent idea that it was massive.

"Together, Jack was the conduit for the power and only his brother could access and use it. When his brother died, Jack had a buildup of that power."

"I thought he couldn't use it because it was cleaved, after Oliver died."

"No," she frowned, "energy cannot be destroyed. The power lingered and built up within him. The premises of our bargain was for me to act as the conduit, so he can use his powers. But, he can only use a fraction of what he once was able to - the bulk of it is being saved for the man he's been hunting."

"Mengele," I growled and Eris nodded.

"Precisely, our little deal has a time limit, you see. Jack's deal was to use his powers, hunt down and kill Mengele, then I was to take my payment in the form of Jacks' soul."

My heart dropped into the deepest pit of my stomach, and I felt the color drain from my skin. Eris laughed, but I wasn't sure I was breathing anymore. "Oh, don't look so glum. I'm immortal, after all. Mortal souls are filled with far more substance, than those of animals."

She cocked her head to the side, "though, I've been lucky enough to have a human sacrifice every couple of years. Besides, Jack knew of the conditions."

I stopped listening to her rambling. All the alarms were going off in my head, not to take the bait. She was a Goddess and dangerous and cunning. Eris could easily be fooling me, to make me give up my soul just for her satisfaction. But, if she wanted to do that, she wouldn't have any need of bringing me here, or letting me leave alive.

Yes, I saw now, she needed me as much as I needed her.

"How much time does Jack have?"

Eris grinned, "five months."

That wasn't enough time. Who knows how close he was to finding Mengele, or where he could be. A cold sweat ran through me and I shivered.

"What kind of deal do you want?" The question came out barely as a whisper.

"It will be quite easy, in fact, it's practically a gift," she laughed.

"What kind of deal?" I felt my body harden, my hands clenching at my sides. She knew I would fall into her trap, she knew the moment she mentioned Jack that I would make any deal with her.

"I want to free Erebus and I from our mortal bonds, and you're going to help me. In return, I'll break the deal with Jack and free his soul."

The world spun around me, but in spite of myself and the situation, I began laughing.

"How am I supposed to help you?"

"You're very resourceful, I know you'll be able to find a way, for Jack's sake, of course." Her smile was cruel and cunning.

I clenched my hands at my sides. I should have just walked away, should have just told her no. Jack had sought her out, he knew the deal he had made. Why couldn't I just let him live through with it?

Even though he knew about his bargain, he still was trying to be with me. I clamped my mouth shut; he knew and yet he still pursued me. Just for that, I should let him live through his punishment. He was going to be with me, the best thing I've ever had in my life, then he was going to leave me. For that, and for that alone, I hated him. I hated that he would leave me out of this piece of information, but it was like my own affairs with Pitch. There would be no way Jack would let me continue working for him, if he had known the extent of what being the anchor meant.

But, no matter how upset I was, no matter how hurt I felt, I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave Jack to suffer. He came here, made a deal with the devil and had a purpose.

"I'll give you some time, but I want you think it over." Eris' voice cut through my thoughts. The world shuddered and I felt my subconscious pulling me back to the land of the living.

"Tell Erebus, I look forward to seeing him after all this time," the last thing I saw was her face and those eyes. Her blood red eyes, that shone in the back of my mind as I tumbled back into the human realm.

Everything became fuzzy after my encounter. I only registered that I wasn't on the plane anymore as someone leaned over me. I had the vague impression of going in and out of consciousness, before I had finally woken up in a infirmary.

"Where are we?" I whispered.

"The hospital, in Saint Petersburg," Jack leaned over the bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Fine," I said, half surprised I to be saying those words. For a moment, I almost thought it was all a dream. But, the look on Jack's face told me the events that happened on the plane, had indeed been real.

A doctor strolled in, then. He did some physical tests, checked my vitals, asked me some questions. All the time, Jack watched me carefully from the corner of the room. When I was given the 'okay' to be released, the doctor left the room.

"Hiccup, what happened back there?" Before I could utter a word, he cut me off, "and don't say it was nothing."

I stayed quiet, gripping the sheets. "I'm fine, now."

"You were most definitely not fine. No secrets between us, remember?" He crossed his arms. Just the sound of him saying that, I wanted to tell him that he was still keeping a huge secret from me. I wanted to scream at him that I knew about Eris, that I knew what he had done and how much time he had left to do an impossible task. I didn't even know how far along he had been in finding Mengele, but I had a feeling it wasn't anywhere close to being done in five months. However, even after all of that, I didn't do anything, didn't say anything - it wouldn't be fair.

"What happened?" he said again, "why the screaming? What did you mean when you said make 'them' go away?"

I gulped past the bile that had started building in my mouth. The fire in my veins, the pounding at my heart, I willed my body to calm down.

"Hiccup," Jack leaned down, kneeling at my bed. His blue eyes flashed with pain, I realized. The pain of watching someone you love in pain and not being able to do anything about it. I realized, it was the same fear behind those grief stricken eyes. The fear of watching Oliver suffering again, living through his personal hell.

"Please," he murmured, voice as soft as silk against my skin.

Something inside of me broke, the crack in my shield began crumbling. It was so hard for me to stand against him. I turned my head, to look at the walls. The deal with Eris still flashed through my mind. Even if I was given more time to make up my mind, she knew that, in the end, I would do it. I'd find a way to break her and Pitch - Erebus's - bonds to a mortal. Whatever that meant, or whatever I had to do.

If it meant that I had to continue being a liar, or to continue facing death, then I would never tell Jack. I knew it was selfish, and went against everything I've wanted to build up for myself. The dreams I had of Jack and I crumbled. He had told me that he was given a second chance at a better life. And, perhaps, this was my way of making sure that he used that second chance for something better than revenge.

So, I would lie, until I could give Jack that one sliver of peace that he deserved. I was already past saving.

"Ghosts," I whispered, finally. "I saw ghosts."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:** So I added a little twist with the Greek Mythology! Now, we finally have a true identity to Pitch, but, what are his motives? And what of Eris?

Will Hiccup be able to help the Goddess and the God?

And, what of this unknown threat to Hiccup?

Read on, in the next chapter!

With that note, please REVIEW, FAVORITE and FOLLOW! Shout outs for everyone!

Cassie


	18. Chapter 18 - Children of Sorrow

**Authors Pre-Notes:** Thank you all for the reviews! I know this is pretty late (which I am SUPER sorry about!) which is why I'm going to upload twice this week PLUS on Sunday (my usual update days)

 **DRARRYLOVER4EVERINMYHEART -** Thank you for reviewing on those earlier chapters! I think you have found out that it IS Pitch Black! Welcome to the GPG club :)

 **MissPurple1234** \- The questions are the best part! Haha, I'm glad you're listening to music! I honestly can't write without it! Thank you for the review :)

 **Masks of JM and JS** \- Yes, he will be making an appearance on this matter! Eris is a tricky character... She's definitely got another agenda!

..::Song of Inspiration - Mr. Bright side - The Killers::..

^.^

Rapunzel had been at Anastasia's and Dimitris'. They were kind enough to offer their home as a base of operations. Apparently, Merida had induced Zel into a coma like state, to keep her calm. Because if the negative entity had gained full control of her powers… God, help us. We had to wait for a driver, which was sent by Dimitri, to pick us up at a diner we decided to try near the airport.

I explained to Jack what I had seen on the plan, with the briefest details. And, I left out the meeting with Eris. I didn't know when she intended on seeing me again, and I hoped the ghosts' weren't her way of pulling me into that realm of hers.

"I don't know what to say," Jack said, staring into his coffee. "I know very well, not to ask you to stop. But, at the same time, I hate that this happens."

He leaned back, and ran a hand over his face. "Please, be patient with me, I'm still adjusting to you, being so… vulnerable."

"I know, but, you're right. I know how to get through this by now," I said as gently as possible.

Jack didn't say anything else on the topic, and we ate breakfast, until our ride got here.

Our driver was a young, good-looking man. He had a strong jaw, dark brown hair and a filled out body. He climbed out of the car, coming around to shake Jack's hand.

"Hi, I'm Eugene. I work for Dimitri and Vlad," he smiled. Eugene was handsome, in a roguish way with dark stubble on his face.

"I'm Jack, this is Hiccup," Jack shook his hand and they loaded the car with our bags. Then, it was the long drive to where the young couple lived. I sat in the front, Jack fell asleep in the back. I hadn't realized how tired he was lately. He had been constantly taking naps, or sleeping. Maybe, he was jet legged, or he was really worried about Zel.

"So, how do you know Dimitri and Vlad?" I looked over at Eugene and saw a smile light up his face. "Are you from Russia, too, Eugene?"

"Please, call me Gene," he chuckled, "and no, I was born in Germany. I was put up for adoption though at a late age, and ended up at Orphanage 7 here in Russia - the one you guys are investigating." He gave me a side long glance. "Dimitri was in there before I showed up, he was older than me, and had been my only friend there. When he got adopted out, it was a tough transition."

"I'm so sorry," I said and Eugene laughed.

"Don't be, I made out fairly well. I use to read this book, _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_ , and it gave me something to believe in. Eventually, I ran away from the orphanage. Since I was of age by the time I got out, I was able to find work fairly easily."

"What did you do?"

"Small jobs here and there, I started out doing labor jobs, then started teaching kids how to swim. I realized that I loved teaching and wanted to travel more. When I could afford it, I purchased a one way ticket to Australia, and taught sailing. Saved some more money, and moved to Brazil to teach snorkeling for a couple of years."

Instantly, I was fascinated. His lifestyle intrigued me and I could only dream to be as free as he was.

"How old were you?" I asked, truly interested and in awe of his journeys.

"When I first left? I was eighteen when I moved to Australia, and stayed there for three years, then moved to Brazil when I was twenty one. I traveled to and from different parts of America, never staying long before I moved back here a couple of years ago."

I grinned, imagining the different cultures, the different types of people he had seen. "That sounds amazing."

"It was, I recommend it, in fact, if you ever need a hookup to stay somewhere, just give me a shout." He took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at me.

"I will," I genuinely meant it - genuinely was intrigued enough to dream of something bigger than Berk. Eugene looked back on the open road.

"It's amazing that you still know Dimitri after all this time," I said after a moment.

"The funny thing was, I met his wife, Anya, when she was on vacation in Australia. I taught her and some of her friends snorkeling, and she happened to mention she was celebrating being free from an Orphanage. It turns out, she went in just as I left!" Eugene barked a laugh, "she said it was like meeting her hero - the one that got away, is what they called me. We stayed in contact after that, then when I came back to Russia, she had met Dimitri."

"Wow," I whistled, "small world."

"Really, though. I lived with them and Dimitri had plans to buy the orphanage with his business partner, Vlad, and turn it into a museum. He offered me a job at teaching and coordinating it."

"Did that bother you?" The tone in his voice changed, suddenly. The orphanage definitely seemed like a very sensitive subject.

"A little, I just remember how long I was stuck in that place and how he got out. It bothered me that the place was still standing, if anything." Eugene chuckled, "I guess I was thrilled to be able to help him turn that shit hole into something educational."

His story reminded me eerily of Jack - how they both had gotten out, and now they were both working towards something bigger than their past.

I didn't ask what happened in the Orphanage, Gene continued telling me about his tales. And I didn't dare tell him to stop.

^.^

Anya's and Dimitri's house was huge. It was a borderline mansion, to say the least. They may have lived in an orphanage and had a bad upbringing, but they had certainly made up for it in their adulthood.

The property was gated with large, beautiful white iron gates. They opened as Gene scanned a card. The large land was well-manicured and landscaped. There was a beautiful, cobble stone pathway that led through some trees and a garden in the front, a white gazebo in the distance. We parked in the large circle lot, that mysterious path continued on towards the back of the house.

Dimitri and Anya had been sitting in the gazebo as we arrived, and approached as we unloaded our bags.

"I hope everything went smoothly, I'm very sorry about your friend," Dimitri shook Jack's hand.

"How is she?" Jack asked, and Dimitri lead us toward the porch. Anya didn't say anything, she only gave me a piercing stare.

"She's doing well, Merida has her laying in the guest room."

Jack nodded, and I stayed silent as we walked into the enormous house. I could sense that Jack was both curious and concerned, he stayed very quiet throughout the walk through the house. From the outside, it looked older - with dark, grey stones on the pillars outside - but on the inside it was fairly modern. Marble floors flowed from the foyer throughout the house.

Greeting us in the main room, were a pair of double curved staircases. The house was so large, it had vaulted ceilings and a grand chandelier that hung over the stairs. The grace of it, reminded me of Elsa's mansion, only there was a more modern charm in Dimitri and Anya's home.

"Your home is beautiful," I said in awe as we walked up the grand stairs.

"Thank you," Anya said, ever the lady of the house.

We came to a door on the second floor, and I halted, suddenly. All of the fantastic feelings I had while walking through this beautiful home, were suddenly gone. Dull, cold and numb. I realized almost immediately, that this was the wards. The strong, ancient magic that I knew belonged to Merida. The wards were strong, the magic was something old, and my nostrils flared at the smell of it. Dimitri and Jack didn't stop, however, they continued past the door to where Zel was.

Anya stopped, and gave me a pointed look. "Something wrong?"

I swallowed hard, scrunching my nose. "Merida uses ancient magic in her charms. I can… I can sense it." I shivered, underplaying just how powerful the priestess's magic truly felt.

Her Da'a must be close too, I sensed that familiar, and dangerous power. "Can you really sense magic?" Anya's eyes were wide and she grabbed her pendant. I nodded and she glanced at the amulet around her neck.

"Can you… will you be able to see if my grandmother spelled this? I've had such strange things happen to me because of it. I would just like to know if she somehow touched it with magic." Anya twisted it around in her fingers.

I rubbed my head, the smell and taste of the spells Merida was using began making me dizzy. "Not right now, Anya, I'm not really feeling good."

She huffed, letting the pendant dangle around her neck again, her eyes narrowing. "Fine."

"It's nothing personal, I swear," I tried to smile through my pounding head, my senses swimming from the assault of Maria's magic. "Maybe later? Meet me in my room, and I'll try and get a read for you." I was so dizzy, I didn't even remember if I had been shown my room yet. I wish I had, so I could fall into bed and sleep it off.

Slowly, a smile spread across her face and she nodded. "Thank you, Hiccup. It really means a lot to me. I'll meet you nine tonight, does that work?"

I didn't know what time it was, couldn't figure out how many hours would pass until nine tonight would be upon us. I blinked through the confusion long enough to nod my head, forgetting what she had said only moments ago. I needed to get out of here, just get to a room, or maybe a washroom and run water over my face.

"I'm going to let Jack know that I'm going to lay down." I excused myself and poked my head in the door.

The room was worst, standing within the wards made my vision blurry, the smell of moss and soil flared in my nostrils. It was the core of the spell, I thought. To somehow bind Zels' body and soul to this land.

Zel was laying on the bed, in a very normal looking room. Jack sat by her side and Dimitri was gazing out of the small window of the bedroom.

Had I been in my right mind, I would have compared the two men. Both came from tragic backgrounds and yet, both were able to lead successful lives.

Trying to ignore the pounding headache, I grinned. "Hey, I'm gonna take a quick nap. I'm not feeling too good."

Jack looked up at me from the side of the bed.

"Want me to go with you?" he asked, concerned. I shook my head, raising my hands.

"No, I'll be fine. Dimitri, can you just tell me where the room we'll be staying in is?" I plastered on a smile.

"Just down the other hall, you can have any of the three down there."

I nodded, "thank you."

Closing the door, I truly wanted to sit and see Zel. To be with her, as a friend. But, my senses were flaring out of control, not use to the magic of the wards protecting her.

Anya stayed in the hall, watching me closely. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'll be okay," I lied. "I just need to lay down - oh, Merida, hey."

Merida had just reached the top of the grand staircase.

"Hiccup? Hello, I didn't know you were here yet," Merida smiled. "Jack must be with Zel, I'm guessing?"

I nodded, "I'm just going to lay down for a bit."

"Aye, the charms givin' you a hard time?" She stopped in front of me. I nodded, sheepishly, Anya only watched us.

"It messes with me too, when Bunny uses his charms. Just gives me a nasty headache." Merida pushed some of her wild hair out of her face. "You'll learn to control it, eventually."

I groaned, "well I hope it's sooner than later."

Merida smiled, but it didn't quite touch her eyes, before her demeanor turned serious. "Hiccup, there's something I want to show you."

I frowned, "something bad?"

"No, it's just about what happened. I can explain it, but it's best to hear."

Anya stepped up beside me, suddenly intrigued, "I would like to hear, too. If you don't mind."

Merida greeted her with a curt nod, then continued. "Of course not. But, this happened while we were doin' our walk through. Zel was beginning to make contact with various spirits, mostly children. But, there was someone she was talking too, that I now believe was not a child.."

"What do you mean?" Anya said. She sounded curious and confused, not like she was challenging her.

Merida nodded towards the other end of the corridor, to where one of the rooms were that I was suppose to be lying down it right now. I ignored the pounding in my head as she walked down the hall, then opened the door on the right, a room with all of our equipment. Merida strode over to a desk with various cameras, recorders, and laptops on it. She took a seat, taking the red tape off a recorder. We usually taped recorders different colors after they were used, to rate the amount of paranormal activity capture on it.

And, red meant there would be crystal clear EVP's on here.

"Listen to this and tell me what you made of it," she opened a computer and plugged in the recorder.

Anya and I gave each other a curious look as Merida searched through the audio, then turned to us.

"Tell me what this sounds like to you," Merida said. She moved out of the way so we could see the screen clearly - a screen that showed wavelengths of the audio.

"This is a burst session we did when children spirits began contacting her in the main recreation building. I'll start it from the beginning."

She clicked play.

 _On the audio, Zel said, "is there any reason you want to stay here? Has something bad happened to you?" A pause. "Please, we are here to help you pass on. We won't harm you, there's no reason to be scared. We can help you see the light -"_

 _A dark voice answered, clear as day, "I want the gates."_

 _There was shuffling, Merida (on audio) had moved, "that was right behind me!" She exclaimed._

 _"Yes! Yes, we can show you the gates, we can help you pass on." Zel said, excitedly as they made contact with this spirit._

 _"Bring me the anchor," the dark voice hissed._

 _"They have gone quiet," Zel mused on the audio, clearly unaware that a voice had answered her. "I wonder if they are still around us."_

 _"Well, at least - oh my God! I just saw a figure," Merida said loudly, "right behind you, Rapunzel."_

 _There was shuffling on the tape, then, "oh, it's a child. She- she's speaking to me, I can't seem to - yes." Zel began talking to herself, answering questions that no one seemed to ask. "I can show you, come to me, child. No, it's nothing bad, do not be afraid. Oh my. She's so scared - she's so… can you feel me? Ah, yes, I can feel that. She just touched my arm."_

 _Then there was silence, before more shuffling and Merida swore, "Zel! Hey, Zel!"_

The audio stopped.

"How come you didn't stop her from talking to that.. That thing," Anya stood up straight, crossing her arms. Goosebumps began rising on my arms from the sound of that horrible voice. A voice that was, clearly, not a child.

Merida stood up as well, "the thing is, what we heard was a little girl's voice. The figure I saw was that of a child's." she pointed to the laptop, "it wasn't until Zel dropped down, and I listened to the audio that I realized we were speaking to such a dark spirit."

I shivered again, looking at the screen. "Did you listen to all of it?"

Merida nodded. "Yes, and that voice doesn't say anything else throughout the burst session. The moment Zel went down and I listened to it, I knew I had to set up wards to keep her asleep."

"Well you've done a good job, she hasn't woken for days," Anya said.

As the two conversed, I went back to the audio and reviewed it again, listening closely to the words of the entity. I listened to the request, over and over again. Merida started to grow tired, and went to check her charms. Anya had soon gotten bored and left. Jack hadn't so much as come to check on me - but, I knew it was because he was worried about Zel. We all were. And we would all do anything to get her to come back to us.

But as I stayed and listened to the audio, I started to grow more and more concerned that, perhaps Eris was right.

The dead _are_ beginning to seek me out, and make me part of that world forever.

That voice would haunt me tonight, as it continually hissed through my mind. Along with the image I drew on the plane, and Astrid's cryptic warning... Was I truly in some kind of danger?

 _"Bring me the anchor."_

^.^

 **Authors Notes:** This was a little shorter chapter, mostly just a couple scenes I had on my mind!

Please REVIEW, FAVORITE and FOLLOW!

See you in the next chapter :)

Cassie!


	19. Chapter 19 - Curse of the Anchor

I couldn't listen to the tape anymore, it was too erry. And, I knew once Jack had listened to it, he would instantly know that the spirit was talking about me.

Since Jack was the only person to know that I was the anchor.

Instead of sleeping, I found some Advil, then decided that I should see Zel.

The headache was still there, however the pills seemed to numb it and make it more tolerable. I strode over to where Jack had been seated, he was now standing by the window, talking to Merida. Their voices were raised before I opened the door, and as they watched me approach, they kept a hush tone.

Both smiled at at me though, Jack dropped his crossed arms and walked over to me. I sat next to Zel - she looked so peaceful, like she was truly enjoying her sleep. Her chest gently rose and fell, her face serene. It was bizarre to think that there was something malicious within her. That something was using her body, her powers, to want to harm us.

Jack placed a hand on my shoulder, "she'll be okay." He said the words, and for some reason, I didn't doubt them. Perhaps it was because they were from him.

"What's the plan?" I looked up at him.

"We'll have to face the spirit," Merida said from the window. Her face was hard, those blue eyes burning. "But doing it that way is a bad idea, Jack.."

"It's the only option. This damn entity is waging war on us by attacking our own," Jack let go of my shoulder, and I turned to face both of them. This is what they must have been arguing about before I came into the room.

"Why do you think it's a bad idea Merida?" I trusted the priestess just as much as I trusted Jack. She was truly gifted in her ancient ways, but Jack had knowledge and skill most didn't even know about.

"It took me all of my strength to seal this thing," she crossed her arms and leaned against the window sill. "And, I don't think it bothered to even fight back. Do you know what it will do when it somehow realizes what we are doing?"

Jack shook his head, "we need to strike. If your wards can keep up, even if it is little weakened, than we have the upper hand."

"Jack could be right," I said. "If you could try and keep the wards at their strongest, then I could try and chase the spirit out -"

"No, that is never going to be an option," Merida crossed the small space between us. Her blue eyes were hard, her mouth in a tight line. "I have years of training in exorcisms, if anyone is going to perform it - it's going to be me. However, I can't keep the wards up _and_ preform an exorcism, plus neither of you can take over the spell for the wards." She brushed her fiery hair out of her face. "I'm warning you Jack, this is a bad idea."

"Merida, you know that Hiccup can try, and if you were so inclined, maybe you can help him." Jack said quietly and Merida snapped her attention to him.

"You know that he's not capable of it. Not without proper practice, and time. I've seen these things go bad." She dragged a hand through her red locks.

"We can't leave Zel like this," I said quickly. "Train me, help me learn how to do it, then, if you think I'm not capable of it." I repeated Jack's offer.

Merida didn't look convinced, "it won't be like any of the earth spells I've taught you." I knew it wouldn't. Those spells, the most recent one was a healing charm, needed resources and extended amounts of preparation. Not to mention the concentration that went into conducting the spell.

This was going to be completely different.

"I could do it - I would learn," I looked back down at Zel. The, usually lively and sassy, but sweet Zel. I couldn't leave her - it wasn't right.

"Jack has a point. The spirit harmed one of our own. We can't leave her like this," I said to her.

Merida only shook her head, "Hiccup, it's dangerous." She flashed Jack a hard look, "ya' want me to be honest with you as to why I'm not on board with this? Because I'm scared."

She looked at me, eyes suddenly gleaming. Unlike moments ago, the fire was gone. She dropped her arms - she seemed to shift, somehow.

"I'm scared for you, Hiccup."

A shiver jolted through my body. Just like Astrid, she had an uncanny uneasiness about me being here - about me being on this case. It wasn't a coincidence.

I stood up so abruptly, they flinched. "Merida, this is war. We don't know what this thing wants, and it has retorted to using Zel in someway." I met each of their gazes, looking them in the eyes - Jack and Merida. They were my friends, my boss, my co worker. And Zel, she was part of this unit too. She was also our friend.

"This thing is trying to cleave us apart from the inside. From within"

I moved slowly, striding over to Merida, as I continued. "But, if you truly believe that I can do this, that I can learn, then we need to try. Because, I'm either going to do this with you, or without your help. And the latter might take longer, might be harder. But I'm not leaving Zel like this the way you're willing to, and if you were in her place, I would say the same to her."

Merida's eyes shuttered, betrayal, blackmail and hurt. There was hurt flashing there.

My chest tightened, "please, Merida."

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Merida held up her hand, clearly done with this conversation. "No, Jack. I'm not doin' it. I'll keep the wards up, but you need to find another way to drive out the spirit."

She gave us a final look, before breezing past us. Just before she opened the door, Merida glanced back over her shoulder. Her voice was a low hiss, "if you think Hiccup can do this, then by all means, try. Just don't come cyin' to me when things turn bad. You need to remember that she is my friend too."

Then, she slammed the door shut.

^.^

Jack and I were alone in my room after. It was a normal sized room, with lots of furniture and windows. As Jack rested on the bed, I paced back and forth within the small area.

I hated the way I talked to Merida, and I equally hated the way she didn't think that I could learn an exorcism. I was part of this team now, she had to understand that. But, the look on her face when I told her that I would do it with or without her help. That was awful. I respected Merida, and her choices, just like she would respect mine. For me to have said that, to have tried to blackmail her into helping me…it was wrong.

"Give her some time, she'll come through," Jack walked over to me, catching my hand in his. "What else is bothering you, Hic?"

"I didn't mean to...say that to her."

Shadows flickered in his eyes. "Ah."

"I shouldn't have said those things to her. It just frustrates me that she won't help me learn, when she knows I can do this." I gazed into his blue-jewels. "Do you think I can learn?"

"Of course," he didn't hesitate in answering. He pulled me closer to him, and his arms wrapped around my waist. I released the tension building in my body, leaning into him, feeling his warmth.

"I can teach you," he said quietly.

"How?" I snapped my head up. Fear that he was using that unholy magic of Eris's "Are you using... "

"No, no, that power I can't use." He answered, then sighed. "I just meant that, if you want to learn, I can teach you. Ollie use to do the exorcisms, and I use to… I could feel what he was doing."

"Can you really teach me?" I stepped away from him, to take in his eyes - his face.

I saw pain there - pain and uncertainty. I knew he wasn't to protect me, so did Merida, but in order for us to protect Zel… something had to give.

Jack dragged a hand through his hair. "But I want to ask Merida one more time, when she's more calmed down. That way, we know she won't change her mind."

I considered. "Do you think she'll see this as a betrayal?"

He winced at the word. Jack hated hurting his friends, the people he kept close to him.

"She can't protect me from this. From being the anchor." my voice dropped lower. "That's something none of you can protect me from."

His eyes flashed, "speaking of, why didn't you tell me about the truth about the ghosts on the plane?"

I stroked a finger over the back of his hand. He tracked my movement. There was a shift between us, a tension that passed over the room.

"I didn't think it was anything to be worried about." I shuttered, "after hearing that audio though, I knew that maybe the spirits are able to… contact me a different way."

"This never happened to Oliver," Jack pulled his hand away from me, placing them in the pockets of his favorite blue hoodie. "I trusted you Hic. I still do. No one wants to be lied to, especially when I saw how much pain and fear you were in."

I felt unsure at how I should answer him - at what he was expecting, without giving away too much.

"I know. It's never easy - it's always going to be difficult. I just…" I met his calm, steady stare. "There are risks in asking to trust me without question. Sometimes I can't tell if my nightmares are real, or if they are dreams. Sometimes I can't tell if what I'm experiencing is truly something to be concerned about, or just the curse of being the Anchor. I'm really sorry I lied to you."

Jack kept a steady gaze, his eyes didn't falter for a moment. "I really hope you mean that."

He didn't say anything else to me, and strode out of the room.

^.^

Anastasia met me exactly when she said. A minute before nine o'clock, she knocked on my door. I told Jack about what I would do for her. He didn't say anything against it, and I felt tense feeling between us. I understood why he was acting like this, and that he needed his space. I lied to him, and got caught in that lie. I should have just told him the truth about the ghost's, because Jack would never make me stay behind. Sure, he would have been worried, but that was something I needed to learn was natural. He would never tell me to stop, he even admitted that much to me. It was always my choice with him, even if he knew it would be dangerous.

"Do you need candles or anything?" Anya looked around the room. I set up two chairs in the middle of it, and I was already seated in one. I was so distracted, I hadn't realized she sat down in front of me.

I shook the thoughts of Jack from my mind, forcing myself to focus.

"No, I sort of meditate." I gestured for the amulet. Anya hesitated, her blue eyes flashing before I saw a flicker in her jaw.

I frowned, "you're the one who wanted me to read it."

"I know," she snapped, pulling the delicate chain over her hair. I waited for her to drop it into my fingers, and I wrapped my hand around it.

Something seemed to pulse in response.

Anya stared at me, sapphire eyes wide, as if she was worried I would take it, and run.

"I'm just going to try getting a read on the necklace," I informed her and then closed my eyes.

It felt like any other time I tried to dive into my powers. The dark, shimmering adamant that arched into my touch - my shield from the approaching spirits in the Dark Lands. However, unlike any other time, the shield didn't budge under my touch, didn't respond to my command.

I gritted my teeth, pushing harder against it. The shield flickered, then like mist, it was gone.

For a moment, everything stopped - everything was gone.

One moment, I felt the pulsing of the amulet, then the next, I felt nothing. My shield was there, my magic was there one moment and the next..there was nothing. And, it wasn't just the amulet I felt nothing. Deep within me, the bond was quite. That part of me that belonged to the other side was silent. Not a whisper of my bond with Pitch, not a whisper of the Dark Lands.

It was like it all disappeared. Like there was no longer an anchor - I was no longer the anchor.

It was gone.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

Alright, this was a shorter chapter! Thank you for the reviews, and I hope you continue enjoying! Looking forward to next chapter!

Has Hiccup lost his abilities to be the anchor?

What is this spirits motives? Will it break the group apart? Or bring them closer?

How will this affect Hiccup's role with Zel being possessed?

And, will he be able to stomach the idea of making a deal with Eris?

Find out, next chapter!

Please REVIEW, FAVORITE and FOLLOW :)


	20. Chapter 20 - Cursebreaker

**Authors Pre-notes:** Oh my! I cannot believe this was late. I've been out of town, so getting wifi is a hit or miss lately. I hope this gets up early Monday morning. If not, It'll be up that night!

 **MissPurple1234 -** it was pretty disturbing what happened to Hiccup! He seemed to handle it pretty well, so maybe, he was just in shock. Hiccup without those powers is... Very interesting! And yes, last week I thought the little touch of PM would be a nice change :)

 **Roxacoricofallapartoreous -** Haha, it's interesting you thought Anya did that! Very interesting indeed :D The amulet is obviously very strong... How strong? I guess we'll have to find out!

 **Masks of JM and JS -** Nope! I don't think Hiccup was meeting someone, but it's certainly starting to get hard for him to figure out what is reality and what is not.

..:: Song of Inspiration - Halsey - Ghost::..

I dropped the pendant, needing to get it out of my hands. Anya stared at me, shocked, mouth open.

"What did you see?" She said, then frowned when she saw I was panting, my chest heaving.

My magic…no, the bond. It was… It felt gone. I swallowed hard, clenching my teeth.

"It's gone…" I whispered, I felt like I had no strength. In a moment, the last of my power was wiped away.

Anya's piercing glare was on me as she reached for her necklace on the floor.

The jewel glistened in the light, as if winking at me.

Her brows furrowed, "do you…want to try again?"

"No," I stood up, the chair clattering to the floor behind me. Anya jumped back.

"Well, Jesus I was just asking." She blew out a breath of air, "what's your problem?"

"Nothing, I can't read it," I bent to pick up the chair, pulling it up right. I sounded more harsh than I intended. "There's no magic in it, you must just be imagining it."

She breathed in sharply. "I'm not blind. I can tell this caused you to feel something," she held up the necklace to my face. I flinched and stepped back. "So don't bullshit me, and say there's nothing in it."

Anya crossed her arms, and I stared at the ground. I couldn't tell her what happened, or, what this meant. Because, then I would have to tell her I was the anchor. Anya is no fool, she's sharp and would put together the pieces of the entity here. That it was hunting me.

"I can't do this right now," I hissed, stepping back and away from the amulet. "I have to go."

Anya yelled as I sprinted past her. "Hiccup!"

I ran down the stairs, to the closest doors that would take me outside. The sun was just starting to set, twilight resting on the earth. I ran, following the winding path behind the house. I didn't know where I was, nor, where I was going. I just pushed my legs to go further, further. Faster, and harder.

My bond… there was no sound, no shield, no glimmer of feeling in my bond with Pitch. The amulet's power had blocked it out too thoroughly. There was nothing, a black and empty pit lay in the middle of my stomach - my heart.

When my legs could take me no further, I fell hard into the earth. My body ached as I rose to my knees. Heaving, sweating, and a silent sob shuddered through me.

What was I going to do if I couldn't access the Dark Lands? How was I supposed to help Zel, if the only thing possessing her wanted me - the anchor?

I had always thought, maybe the curse of being the anchor was just that - a curse. After Nav, I didn't think I would ever do it again. I didn't think I could stomach the horrible deeds I've committed. I didn't think I could see the horror of all those deaths that I saw, witnessed and experienced. Jacked helped me through it though, he encouraged me to continue pushing, and when I did, I realized that even though being the anchor had pain, it had peace too. A small light in the darkness that surrounded me - a gift.

Jack - I needed to find Jack. He would know how to help me. As I rose, there was a movement in the corner of my eye. I spun around, there was no possible way the person who was standing there could be there. No possible explanation as to why Zel was now standing in front of me.

"How?" I breathed as she stepped over to me. She was wearing a pink dress, that had light blue lace in the front. Her face was covered in shadows.

Zel didn't speak as she approached me, the hair on my arms rose. "Who are you?" I said each word slowly. She stopped a foot away.

Golden-black eyes stared back at me.

"I was wondering what had sent such an unsettling feeling down the bond," Pitch said, his voice dreadful from the ancient creature I now understood lurked beneath it. Erebus, of shadows, darkness and death.

It was an effort to keep my knees from buckling. My heart stumbled as Pitch - in Zel's body - seemed to incline his head in greeting. A greeting and confirmation, as if he knew precisely what I realized. That I was in the presence of true power.

Eris had power. She was strong and cunning, but her presence didn't overwhelm me like his suddenly had.

"Now I understand, the bond was snapped," he added to me.

When I didn't say anything, his golden eyes flared with unholy delight. "I smell fear on you, boy."

My mouth went dry.

"Aren't you the least bit curious, at what dangerous magic could snap a bond such as ours?" He purred. "No need to be afraid, it will only last temporarily. However, it is a burden."

Quietly, I cleared my throat. "For the bond to break, don't I need to die?"

"Yes. Seeing as you are alive, I would say the bond is not permanently broken."

I sighed in relief at that, as terrifying as it was. Pitch noticed me relax, grinning.

"There are many ancient artifacts that were either made by the hands of Gods or, were made to test the hands of Gods. That amulet happens to be one of them, it is called the Xephirian Amulet. Interestingly, it was known to have ultimate immunity and protection. Judging by the reaction of it to your own gifts, I would assume it was protecting its master."

An ancient amulet that protected it's owner. Now, it seemed to make sense as to why Anya kept it for so long, believing her grandmother spelled it. An idea hit me, so suddenly I gasped. This amulet was strong enough to numb my bond, for however long. To protect Anya from my darkness. Maybe, perhaps if I could learn how to use it without harming myself or the bond, I could trick Eris into accepting it. Or, convince Jack to continually wear it and keep him from Eris's wrath. Then, perhaps with that strange power, it could protect him.

The real challenge would be, how to get the amulet from Anya. She kept it around her neck, and it was a gift from her grandmother so I couldn't just steal it. Maybe, I could ask her, but if I did that I would have to tell her what I am - what Jack is.

And then, what would Pitch think of this? He seemed to understand the power of the amulet, maybe he was willing to help. But, what if he did want to free his bonds from mortals? Could I trust him enough to answer me honestly? To confide in him of my plans. It was a risky choice to tell him, but I had a feeling he already knew. And, I had a feeling immortals had a tendency to lie, or sell anything to get free of bonds - especially mortal bonds.

I felt my face turn into stone. "Eris had sought me out - to make a deal for your freedom, as well as hers and rid you both of your mortal bonds."

"Eris," Pitch murmured. "Er-iss." He said the syllables as if he was tasting them on his tongue.

I breathed in, deeply through my nose. There was a shift, a sudden chaotic shift, passed through the air as Pitch took in a deep breath. His eyes were burning bright, even though it was Zel's face.

"Ah, how lovely she is - new as a fawn and yet ancient as the sea. How she calls to you." A rasping laugh as Pitch shifted. "Yes, what trouble she is stirring. I'm sure you're curious about how we got here, a God and a Goddess."

I waited and waited and waited, picking apart the words he laid out, like crumbs of bread.

"Eris had always indulged in her wild tendencies," he murmured. " After the War, she delighted in this world when we fell into it. There was a crack in our world, a hole within our walls. It was big enough for creatures like Eris and I to squeeze through. Once we fell, how these silly humans feared and worshipped us."

He chuckled, indulging in the memories of his terrifying reign. "Eris was hasty in bidding her time here. That's when a human warrior, long ago, tricked her into diminishing Eris's powers and becoming confined to the Middle."

I blinked at the word, but didn't dare interrupt. I assumed 'Middle' meant human, seeing as Eris was bound to humans.

"Cleaver, that human warrior. His bloodline is long gone now - through a trace still runs through some human lines." He smiled, perhaps a bit sadly. "He could not kill Eris in the end, she was too strong. She could only be contained."

"How did you find your way here?" I shoved against the sinking sensation in my gut. She may have been tricked, but her powers were so strong that she could only be contained. I doubted anything I could do would deter her.

"I took it upon myself to find my way here. However, living here has forced me to change. To become different. In my world, I am immortal - or long-lived enough to seem that way. But here, I am a death-god. I've found a way to eat life itself, and remain forever."

I waved a hand around, "so this is what you would prefer - for eternity?"

"Do you think I wish to go back home? Here, I am forgotten, and that's how I would prefer to be." Pitch tilted his head to the sky. He still took the form of Zel, but I could imagine his black cloak disappearing into the darkness around us.

I shifted on my feet. There wasn't anything else I needed now - he told me what I wanted to hear. He had no intentions to break his bonds. Erebus was no threat to me.

Pitch smiled. "You will be bargaining with her." His bright eyes brimmed with amusement. "I wonder what her asking price will be." A low laugh. "Interesting."

I let out a long-suffering sigh. "Out with it, if you know something."

He fell silent, toying with Zel's delicate, long fingers, tapping them against each other. I resisted the urge to hiss at him not to hurt her - not sure if it was truly her body, or some kind of illusion. Regardless, I didn't want to see him hurt my friend.

"In exchange for a price, I will assist you in...dealing with her," Pitch said.

My body tensed. Another deal with an immortal - a death-god. But, didn't I trust Pitch more that Eris?

"Within reason," I countered.

He exchanged a glance with me. "There is a mirror - the Lasser Glass, they called it. It was old, even when we were young. It holds unique powers, and is a window into our world. All could be seen, all could be told through its dark surface. The woman, Anastasia possess it - an heirloom from her original household. Bring it to me. That is my price. The Lasser Glass and I am yours to wield against Eris"

I paused, weighing his words. To risk working with Pitch, or working with Eris. Which evil was worst? I was bonded to Pitch, so surely whatever happened to me, happened to him, too. However, I was more disposable than he, I knew that much.

Carefully, I said. "I want to add one more thing onto that."

Pitch raised an eyebrow, golden eyes flared as bright as flame. "I'm listening."

"You'll help me find a way to break her curse on Jack."

He grinned, it was something too wicked and cruel for Zel to have ever managed - it made my blood turn cold. He stepped towards me, grinning like a cat, extending his hand.

"Deal."

I hesitated, carefully eyeing him. This was easy - it was too easy. Warning alarms were going off in my head, but I stepped into his hand, firmly grasping his in my own.

"There is one more, itsy, little thing," Pitch said as I tried to jerk my hand back.

I glared at him, hissing, "what?"

"It is customary in my world for deals to be marked on the flesh," he raised my hand to his lips and I went ridged under his touch. He grinned, "unless you no longer wish to help your lover."

"Do it," I said in a hard tone.

He laughed as his teeth - his sharp teeth - bit into my palm. Magic spiralled around us and I yelped at the pain. I tried to pull back, but Pitch kept a firm grip and dug deeper into my flesh. A pain like pin-pricks up my left arm, turned into a burning sensation. Hot, then cold, my flesh shivered as the magic now dug deeper than tissue. Deeper.

When it was over, I opened my eyes and I was standing alone outside. Zel - Pitch, was nowhere in sight.

I glanced at my palm, my arm, and my blood went cold.

Whirls of black ink swirled around my forearm, up to my shoulder. In the middle of my palm, in the middle of the swirls where Pitch had bitten, there were three triangles. In the middle of them was a single eye. The narrow pupil seemed to widen in the darkness, as if adjusting to the lack of light.

As if watching me with wicked delight.

^.^

My dreams were dreamless, a first in a long time. Usually, when I slept alone, I always had a nightmare that chased me out of bed. Usually of the memories that I've seen, the faces of those who suffered.

Slowly, I got out of bed and stretched my arms in front of me. The swirls of ink were stark against my skin.

I flexed my left hand, forgetting about the deal I made with Pitch last night. The bizarre encounter, in which I promised him I would get the Lasser Glass. In exchange, he would help me deal with Eris and her curse on Jack.

I almost thought that was a dream.

There was no way I could hide the bargain on my skin though without telling the truth. I would have to tell the others some kind of story about wanting a tattoo sometime late in the evening. Or, if I could hide it until this case was over, I could spin an elaborate story about the tattoo. No matter the route I decided to take, I would have to tell Jack the truth.

How much of it, I wasn't sure yet.

"You couldn't have placed the bargain on my back, or something?" I hissed into the eye, and I could have sworn the pupil narrowed. I dropped my hand.

I had enough time to shower, brush my teeth and begin changing when someone knocked on the door. I opted for a long sleeve, button up shirt - even though it would be warm outside today. Even the long sleeves couldn't hide the eye in the middle of my palm.

"Hic?" Jack poked his head through. Quickly, I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"Good morning," I leaned against the dresser, trying to act normal.

He stepped through the threshold, his hair was tousled - not the characteristically purposeful look he opted for. I noticed his clothes were rumpled, in fact, I swear he wore the same blue polo shirt yesterday. I walked over to him, slowly, stopping a foot in front of him. Jack had every right to be upset with me.

"We're going to the Orphanage soon," he said. I nodded, rolling back on my heels.

"Give me the word, I'm ready to go."

Jack nodded, then looked up at me. "About yesterday, I'm sorry I seemed harsh. It's just…" he sighed. "Ollie use to lie to me all the time. No matter what it was, he would lie to protect me. It always bothered me, because it felt like he didn't trust me to be able to defend myself. Or, because he always tried to help everyone, even if it meant he had to be in pain."

'So do you!' I wanted to say, but held my tongue. I clenched my inked hand in my pocket, proof that the same mentality, on my behalf, placed that bargain there.

He leaned against the door frame, resting his head on it. "Oliver pulled some shady shit. I hated it, and when he was stuck across the sea, while that bastard Mengele tortured him, I was safe at home." He sucked in air through his teeth, "we were bonded through our powers, yet he blocked me out. The bastard blocked me out until his last damn breath, and the pain hit me like a truck when it was too late."

Jack's eyes glazed over for a moment, I could only imagine the pain he felt - the pain that Oliver suffered.

"I could have stopped it - could have helped him. Our father was so worried about him, he would have flown me over within hours. Mengele would have been put behind bars." Jack clutched a hand in his hair. "I'm trying to say, that I was the one who dropped in the middle of the street, screaming at a nightmare no one else could see. I couldn't tell anyone, without sounding crazy, without looking crazy."

Jack looked up at me, his eyes bright and clear. "It hurt me that you didn't trust me to help you. That you lied to me about the ghosts, and to be honest, I think you're still lying to me about what really happened on the plane." He dropped his hands, standing straight and stepping closer to me. The whole time he was speaking, my heart was pounding.

Tell him, don't tell him…

If I did tell him, how much did I say? How much should he know?

I flinched when his hand touched my left elbow. He stared at the sleeve, as if he could already see the bargain on my skin.

"Don't make me beg, Hic. I want this to work between us, so please, just tell me what you're feeling. Say something - anything."

Eyes so blue, I felt like I was sinking to the bottom of the sea. How is it, this man wanted to be with me? He was so pure, so kind, yet he wanted to be with me.

He still wanted to be with me, even when I was going to lie to him.

"I want this to work between us," I said so quietly, I didn't think he heard it. Jack grinned, his eyes brightening as he laced his hand through mine.

"Then let's make it work."

^.^

My powers still weren't back yet, and we were at the Orphanage. The whole ride here, as Jack and Gene chatted, I tried to touch that inner darkness.

Nothing - there was no answer to my call, I swore under my breath. I was about to go into a dangerous location very _very_ vulnerable. Suddenly, I didn't know how long I had survived without realizing the bond, the magic. My former anxiety and fear began terrorizing me. I was afraid of coming here without my magic, and I could only pray that it would repair itself soon.

"Lets start in the recreation area," Jack suggested when we stopped. I opened the door, blinking at the light that blinded me momentarily. The area was desolate, dry and forgotten. Some parts of grass had been packed down, while other areas were severely overgrown.

In front of us, there were three buildings. The one to the left was the largest of them, with two large pillars keeping the foundation of the porch very much in tact. It spanned, what looked like, three stories in height. The other two were smaller and similar in build. They looked like they could be the boarding area, or classrooms.

A pile of torn down foundation lay behind the three buildings, and I remembered Dimitri had said they began work on the barn, demolishing it.

"It looks like it will come down any day now," Jack noted. Eugene walked around the front of the car, crossing his arms.

"It's been around for ages, I'm not surprised if it did come falling down." He said, his voice raw and hard.

Jack looked at me, "what do you think? Feel anything?"

Nothing, I wanted to say. Instead I said, "I don't know." A pause, for effect. "Do you mind if I walk around?"

Eugene gestured widely to the land, "of course. The property goes until the fence line over overe." He shielded his eyes from the sun. "Just make sure to watch where you step. The Orphanage had a ton of underground tunnels and I believe the workers were starting to dig them up."

I nodded and faced Jack, "I'll just walk around for a bit. I'll meet you in the main building," I pointed to, what I now saw, was the recreation area. The biggest building to the far left.

Eugene started walking towards the building, but Jack quickly grabbed my right hand and I spun around.

He stepped close to me, his eyes scanning the property before they settled on mine.

"Be careful," he whispered, bringing his lips to mine. It was the first kiss we've shared since the plane. Just as quickly as he kissed me, Jack pulled away. A little flash of mischievousness in his eyes as he grinned and sauntered towards Eugene.

Tease, I thought as a smile spread across my face. But, I watched carefully as they retreated, my own grin slowly fading as I stood alone, vulnerable and anxious. I knew I would be a perfect target.

Tenderly, I tried to touch the bond one last time as I began walking towards the building to the far right. The ground was mostly gravel, the patches of grass were a couple yards out. I could see an old tether ball pole, that was as forgotten as this Orphanage. There was a slight tingle on my magic, and as I pushed against the barrier, it faded away.

I was walking into a battle without any magic from the anchor, I had no way to protect myself from paranormal entities. Completely blind, like a lamb to the slaughter.

A phantom wind touched my hair, my skin and clothes, as I stopped in front of the large, creaking building. The windows were smashed, the door open, and completely at the will of the elements. This place could have been a mess hall, or a library. I glanced around the still area, unnerved that I could hardly feel anything.

"You wanted me, you got me."

Unnerving silence answered me.

Until I saw a set of red eyes, and a female silhouette in the darkness. I checked around again for any signs of Jack as the witch laughed. Her eyes disappeared, beckoning me to follow. I swallowed hard, willing my bile and fear down. There was no hesitation as I stepped through the threshold of the forgotten building.

Inside, the walls creaked, the paper peeling off the wall and a distinct scent ran through the interior. Eris's laughter echoed from the stairs in the back of the building, followed by loud footsteps. Nervously, I glanced at the door, the darkness gobbling up all the light as I moved towards the sound. At the top of the stairs, Eris stood, her red eyes glowing as she disappeared again.

I followed, up and up and up, until I was in the middle of a long corridor. At the very end of the hall, a door slowly creaked open - my breathing hitched.

A hand beckoned to me. It was stark white again the darkness of the interior.

My legs moved on their own, my heart and mind screaming to run - to get out of here. All I heard was the hammering of my heart as I pushed back the door, and Eris stood at the window, gazing out. Her black hair was wild, flowing freely. She was wore a black dress, that clung to her body. Two drapes of fabric covered her front and back end, then were fastened at her waist by a belt. Her exposed skin on her sides, belly and legs were stark white.

"Have you made a decision yet?" She slowly turned to face me. Her face twisted into a feline smile as she gobbled up my tattooed arm. I had no doubt she could see it past my sleeves. "I see you've made another deal. I guess that goes to show where your loyalties lie."

"This is a binding bargain." I lied, watching her closely. "Erebus seems to believe I can also help you in your task."

She grinned, "does he now?"

The tone in her voice made my heart stumble as I found my words. "This doesn't mean I don't want to make a deal with you. I offer you freedom from your bonds, in exchange for you releasing Jack from your bargain."

A simple bargain, powerful, and binding magic.

In a moment, Eris was in front of me, whispering in my ear. "Will I be able to hunt without restraint on this world? Drink in their fear and dread until I am sated?"

I felt terrible for the wrath I was going to free on the world, possibly on myself.

"I want you to say your part of the deal," I needed to be sure that she kept her word, that she wouldn't dare defy me. I clenched my left hand, my bargain with Pitch was insurance that in case she did betray me, I had a back up plan. Eris was too dangerous to keep in this world.

As if she sensed my uneasiness, she pursed her lips. "I'll free Jack from our contract when you free me from my ties."

A beat of silence. "Then it's done."

She lifted her chin, pure enjoyment flickering in her red eyes as she beckoned for me to turn. "Then let me, also, mark your flesh boy. A mark of our bargain."

I lifted off my shirt and knelt on the ground infront of her, my back fully exposed to her. Magic, dark green and purple, filled the room as it kept pinned me to the ground. Large talon, like claws dug into my back, clawing at my skin. I pressed my face into the hard floors, panting, the urge to scream from the pain rising. But, I couldn't draw attention to here.

When it was over, the pain faded. The magic restraints let go, and I forced myself off the ground, grabbing my shirt.

Eris was nowhere in sight. At the other end of the hall, there was an old washroom. The mirror was shattered in the corner, and still held some potential for reflection. I shuffled over to it, glancing at myself in it.

Down my back was the ruminants of our bargain. Four straight lines of ancient text ran from my shoulders to my lower back. Perhaps I had been rash, not thinking of a better plan. Because, once I was done here, I was going to free a true monster. Who knows what kind of plans she had for this world, or the people in it.

I drawled on my shirt, slowly buttoning it back up. Then, I beheld the eye in the middle of my palm, the pupil was wide with surprise and delight. I knew there was only one way to start this immortal game.

I would have to begin looking for the Lasser Glass, very soon.

^.^

 **Authors Notes** : Uh oh! Hiccup will do anything to protect his friends... But, look at how much trouble this seems to cause him.

Please review, Favorite and follow!

Cassie


	21. Chapter 21 - The Lasser Glass

**Authors Pre- Notes : **Last chapter, Hiccup made some very... Interesting bargains! I'm wondering if he'll continue this streak of impulsiveness... Thank you for the reviews last chapter! I was thinking about this series possibly ending soon, after a bang of course. I'm thinking of making it into a two part series, to break away a little bit from the original story, but not so much where it is an actual new story... Just some food for thought. Holler at me your thoughts!

 **Raxacoricofallenpatereous** \- I full heartidly agree... Hiccup, what did you do! :P

 **Masks of JM and JS** \- There will always be lies from Hiccup, as he can't let Jack know about the deal he made with Erebus/Pitch. Eris can only see/know what Jack does, so leaving him in the dark is cruel, but nessecary, as Hiccup looks for what he needs to.

 **MissPurple123** \- Yep, Hiccup is very impusilve when he tries to protect his friends. It's even worst because he has to lie about everything, or else things will really get interesting.

..::Song of inspiration - Unkown Solider - Breaking Benjamin::..

The Lasser Glass, from what I had researched on my own, was an elusive, and old artifact.

Old enough, that it could have fallen into the hands of a God. Pitch had said Anya now possessed it, but as I walked the corridors of their mansion, I couldn't find it. Jack, Gene and I left the Orphanage earlier today after we got no reads, from me or the equipment we brought. We decided we would come back again tomorrow, possibly to have a lock down. Ever since, I've been looking for the Lasser Glass, even though I wasn't sure I knew what I was looking for, but I had a decent idea I would know by the feel of it.

My powers were still suppressed, however, some did come back. The moment I felt the bond spark to life, Pitch sent instructions about how to use the little bit of magic I could access to hide the bargains on my skin. He called it a glamour.

The small amount of power was enough to cover my tattoos, at least on my arm. But, I noticed once I stopped concentrating on the flow of power, my skin shifted, revealing the blank ink. So far, I was able to keep my skin from glimmering when I was around people.

I realized sadly, Jack probably could have helped me in my quest for the mirror, but I didn't want to bother him about it. Not unless Anya could help me first. When my search for the mirror came up empty handed, I knew I would have to face her.

I found my way to her room, gently knocking on the door.

"Come in," she said after the second, I slowly peeked through the threshold. Dimitri and her slept in this room, I could tell because of the two armoires.

"I wanted to apologize for how I acted yesterday," I stopped when I was through the door. She was lounging in a seating area by the window, before beckoning me to come over.

"Sit down," she nodded to the seat across from after a moment of me standing awkwardly above her. I obeyed, sitting in the plush arm chair, the matching to her own.

Sapphire eyes pinned me there.

"What did you see?" She set down her book, leaning forward.

I gulped. "It startled me, which is why I acted the way I did. Still, I know there should be no excuse for it." I started fidgeting with my fingers, and I could tell Anya knew I was trying to buy time.

Slowly, I sighed. "It showed me… something. Not only did I come here to help my friend, I came here because I've been trying to find something." I had to invent a way to test the waters, to see if Anya truly knew of the Lasser Glass.

She waited for me to continue, I nodded towards the amulet that seemed to glimmer in my presence. "That amulet is an ancient artifact of many that I'm looking for - the Xephirian Amulet, and I'm guessing your grandmother gave it to you to protect you from a darkness." Seeing as it practically tore through my own dark powers like a shredder.

"She possibly gave it to you to protect you from something that I'm trying to find, something the amulet showed me exists as an heirloom from your family."

"What could you possibly want? We have long lost our family's heirlooms after the war."

There was no more tiptoeing around the subject, I had to say it. Nervously, I breathed out. "I'm looking for the Lasser Glass."

Anya paled, sapphire eyes wide. "Why are you looking for such a thing?" Her voice shook, breaking at the end. "It has to be a lie. No one, besides those I've told, knows about the Lasser Glass - no one." In a heartbeat, her demeanor changed as fear pressed down firmly on her shoulders, while she clutched the amulet.

"That's what I saw." I willed my face to be neutral, "and that's what I'm looking for. Anya, please, if you know where it is, I desperately need it. I'll do anything."

She was breathing heavily, her eyes had gone vacant as she stepped somewhere far, far away. I leaned towards her, there was so much more I needed to say to her, so much more I needed to tell her. "I want to apologize for how I acted yesterday. I told you what you wanted to hear about the amulet, it is something that will protect you if you wear it. As for the mirror, If you can please tell me where I can find it - I just need to know if it even exists."

A tear slid down her cheek, as she clenched her jaw tight, "get. Out."

"Anya -"

"I said GET OUT!" She shot up out of her chair, the same time I did. Tears slid down her pale face, her shoulders rising then falling. Anya grabbed the book she had set aside, throwing it at me. I narrowly dodged, as the hardcover hit me in the side.

"Anya -" I said, backing up, and clutching my side when she crumbled to the ground, sobbing. "Anya, let me help you."

When I reached for her, she swiped at me as if she had claws. For a moment, she was staring at me with lethal calm. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously, her lips pulling over her teeth as she snarled, "get out of here, Hiccup."

"I-I don't understand," I breathed. I was so confused at how this turned out so bad - at where this went so wrong.

She gave me a deadly look, daring her to repeat herself. I could only imagine she would hurl another book at me, this time with precision I could never achieve.

I scrambled to the door.

^.^

Jack ran a hand through his hair, as I briefed him on my latest encounter with Anastasia.

"This is going to turn into a mess," he breathed. "Why didn't you just ask me about the Lasser Glass?"

He didn't sound hurt, no, he sounded concerned. As if he knew, asking him would have been less complicated.

"I couldn't," I explained. "The amulet showed me the glass, that it belonged in her household. I just wanted to know where it was. I didn't think she would have reacted like that."

"Why're you looking for it, anyways?" He asked.

Oh no. I couldn't tell him, not when everything was such a mess to begin with. Lies, and more lies - when was I going to start telling the truth? Before I could answer, Jack continued.

"Do you even know anything about the Lasser Glass or, the history of it?" Jack sighed the same time I released the breath in my lungs. Thankfully, he didn't know why. Or he did, but was sparing me the mercy of explaining all of my lies. Slowly, I shook my head to answer his question.

He leaned back on a smooth dresser a few feet away from the bed I was sitting on. "The Lasser Glass was originally crafted by a man to give as a present to his daughter at her wedding. However, upon gazing at herself in it, she felt hideous. The daughter took it to a sorcerer, who tricked her into spelling the mirror. He attached a demon known as an 'elemental' to the mirror, then told her to look again when she was home. When she did, she saw a beautiful woman on the other side. The woman was so fascinated by her reflection, she would constantly gaze at herself as she combed her hair."

"One day, she didn't notice that the comb was actually a knife. She skinned herself to death, and since then, every family that has possessed the mirror has died a gruesome death." Jack's eyes were hard, a feather movement in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.

"Anya has the mirror, though, doesn't she?"

"She doesn't," he said softly, and I waited for him to continue. "I looked into the history of the mirror back in Michigan, finding her maiden name to be the exact same as the family who were the last owners of it - Anastasia parents."

Dryness closed my throat, "are they… did they also die because of the mirror?"

A short nod of confirmation, and the room spun. "I had no idea, I thought…. Oh God, I thought she would know where the mirror was." I practically begged for it. Of course she would have reacted that way, if the mirror was the cause of their deaths.

Jack stared at me with a vacant expression, as if he agreed to my conflicting feelings, before he it blinked away. "To gaze into the mirror, one would have either gone mad, or become broken beyond repair. When Anya's parents owned the Lasser Glass, there was an investigation after their deaths, to which they found her parents witnessed horrible hallucinations. So bad, they could no longer tell what was reality and what wasn't." Jack dropped his gaze to the elegant, wood floors.

He looked like he was about to be sick. The urge to keel over and vmit was strong, my gut flipping. "Her mother died of hemorrhaging from a miscarriage, and her father would only stare at the mirror day in, day out, before one day, he walked right into traffic."

My heart dropped. Anya suffered through that, suffered through having her family torn apart because of the darkness of the mirror. If the Lasser Glass could not be retrieved, at least without such terrible risk… I shut out the thought, clenching my hands at my sides. "That's why Anya was an orphan."

"Anya's grandmother had eventually found her through the foster system, then claimed her. But, her grandmother passed away about a year ago."

I cupped my head in my hands, realizing something he didn't. That's why her grandmother gave her the Xephirian Amulet - it would protect her against the darkness of the glass if she were to ever find it again.

"I had no idea," I trembled, tears stinging my eyes. I wanted to rip out my hair, along with my tongue, I was so frustrated. So frustrated and sad...I can't believe I tried to ask her for the glass when she had such a traumatic story because of it.

Jack said, a little sadly, "I don't think anyone did. Rumours say, she possibly destroyed the glass. It would make sense if the spirit here is trying to use it, though. Anya and Dimitri are tearing down their home, they could see the Lasser Glass as a way to keep Anastasia away from them."

I refused to add further to an already inflated lie. I would rather Eris believe that story than the real one. Instead, I stared at the ground, running through the encounter over, and over again. Anya's face when I told her what I was looking for - it wasn't a look of surprise. It was a look of true, undiluted fear.

Jack didn't say anything else as he pushed off the dresser, walking towards the door. "I'll handle this. Just make sure to tread the topic gently."

When he left, I was alone with my thoughts. My bond was still tender, as I reached out an invisible hand to stroke the glistening wall. I flinched as it flickered, afraid it would be wiped out again. In response, my glamour flickered, showing me the bargain I had made with Pitch.

The bargain that would ensure his help, if I got the Lasser Glass. This mirror though… If I was going to go insane after looking in it, how could I retrieve it? If it put Anya at risk of possibly unravelling, how could I even think about bringing her that kind of pain? Damn Erebus, he probably knew of the potential hazards of the glass, and didn't bother to mention it.

No, it was my fault. I should have made sure there were no loopholes in our deal.

To ease my thoughts, I took a walk to see Zel. Her room was just down the hall on my floor. As I approached Merida's barrier spell, I didn't have a headache. Probably because it had affected my magic, and since it was hardly there, I could tolerate her charms.

When I walked in, I saw a dark figure standing over Zel.

It was a man, his body was hunched over, his spindly arms reaching for her. The demon's mouth was open in a twisted smile, his eyes were pure white.

He was reaching for Zel, and I slammed against my shield trying to shatter the block. I stumbled back from the reverb when the demon moved, in shadow, and mist. The door behind me slammed shut as I lunged to Zel's side.

"Stay away from her!" I shouted. Damnit, _damnit_ , if I had my powers, I would have been able to bring the demon to Pitch. I could have ended it now but -

A sharp pain went straight through my gut, and I fell to the floor, gagging. Hands grabbed my ankles yanking me towards the bed.

"Help!" I screamed, daring to look back as I met a milky gaze from within the shadows of the bed.

"No one is going to help you," that voice was old, ancient.

Invisible claws swiped at my face, and I screamed in terror as I rolled onto my back, clutching the marks on my skin. With no magic, no darkness to aid me, I was truly a lamb to the slaughter.

There was yelling from the other side of the door when those same hands, the ones dragging me, now gripped my neck. I tried to breath, gripping at the invisible force.

They pressed tighter, squeezing harder when I could no longer feel my legs or arms. Pale faces sprung from the ground around us, the same ones from the plane.

This was it, this was the end. They were going to drag me back to the Gates, but this time, I was going to be the one passing through. I waited for the final pain, waited for the life to be snuffed out of me, but the pressure from my neck disappeared, and I gasped for air.

I scrambled up to my knees, pulling myself to Zel's side. Against my magic barrier, I felt Toothless clawing to get free, but I didn't have the energy to summon him. I watched as the ghosts' swarmed around the demon, each one that passed through him left a gaping hole. An ear-screeching howl filled the room, so piercing I thought the glass would shatter.

In the corner of the room, a brightness consumed us. A woman, so beautiful, stepped out from within the light. She had outstretched wings that peeked over her shoulders. The white feathers ruffled from the invisible wind. Her face was serene, yet sharp - her cheek bones high, she seemed to radiate a certain amount of poise, and class. Silver hair glistened in the light she created as she walked over to the demon.

She wore nothing besides the skin she was born in. So Beautiful, yet unreal as her entire body seemed to glisten in the radiant light, as if that, alone, was clothing enough.

From the other side of the room, the demon hissed. "He'll send more of us to find him. No matter what you do, you cannot defeat us."

The Angel said nothing as she lifted a hand towards the demon, a light so blinding spiralled towards him before the mass of shadows and blackness were nothing but dust. The ghost' disappeared the same moment the demon did, the weight of the room lifting. I was still on the floor, on my knees as I clutched Zel's hand. The woman turned to me, lowering her beautiful wings.

"Who are you?" I stared into her eyes with awe, eyes so blue, I suddenly felt like I've seen them somewhere.

She didn't answer me, "the object to which you are looking for has been long taken from this household."

The sharpness in her voice, even through the gentle caress of it, I could tell this was Anya's grandmother. They had the same sharp, cunning stare and features - the same blue eyes.

"Where is it?"

"It is buried beneath the ground, beneath the roots that nobody can see. Yet, the glass can see the sky."

I blinked at the riddle, "please, I need to know where it is."

"There are other artifacts within this property that will see you to protection. Seek them, and you will be guided to the Lasser Glass." The Angel gave me a firm look. "I will only warn you once not to take Anastasia's protection."

A ping of sadness, and guilt hit me. "You gave her that to protect Anya against the Lasser Glass, didn't you?"

Slowly the Angel nodded, then stepped closer to Zel. "Her soul has awakened. You must use your friends to help you - this cannot be done alone."

"But they can't know the truth -"

The brightness lifted, without another sound, the room was quiet, as if she had never been there. Jack broke through the door first, followed by Dimitri. Soon after, Anya, Merida and Gene followed as they stopped just before the bed.

Each of them, my friends included, wore the same expression - utter shock as we beheld Zel lift her small hands to my face. I was still kneeling on the ground by her side, yet she reached for me when moments ago, she had been comatose. Gently, so gently, she stroked the cuts on my jaw.

"You came," she breathed, and I touched her hand - so cold, she was freezing to the touch.

"Get some blankets," I ordered no one in particular, but Gene left the room first. Everyone else watched as I stood up slowly, weakly, perching on the edge of the bed to lean over her. I pressed her small hand firmly into my skin, leaning into that touch.

"You shouldn't have come here," Zel sobbed. She pulled her hand away, covering her eyes as she wept. An overwhelming sadness passed over me, similar to that of Anya, as I watched her sob into her hand. Jack and Merida came around to the bed, Gene following suit as he was holding an arm full of blankets.

"Here you go," he said gently as he covered her small frame. His gaze never left her, taking in her beauty, her kindness. Her cheek bones were hallow, her skin a sickly grey color, and her hair was limp around her head. Yet, Gene looked at her as if he saw an angel.

Jack looked up at me, "what happened?"

A wave, like a phantom wind, passed over me when I realized my powers had returned. Fully, unrestrained, they took over. The glamour on my arm was now super charged, I felt no need for concentration on my glamour, as the endless flow of darkness took over - my powers were back.

As I opened my mouth to speak, I was pulled into Zel's thoughts.

 _He's here, no he can't be here._

 _Why is here? Why must he come?_

 _The thoughts flowed through her head, one after another. Her heart was a thunderous beat, and she didn't move her hand from her eyes as she wept._

 _She hadn't expected him to be here. Jack was a possibility, but one she was willing to risk. If she only had one more day, she would have called Jack the moment the message was received after investigating the orphanage. At first, she thought the spirit was a young girl who was curious about her presence. The moment she was approached by the spirit, she was wary, but wanted to believe it was in fact a little girl._

 _That had been a very bad mistake._

 _Darkness, so much darkness, and overwhelming despair consumed her. There was a man, she saw him so vividly she thought it was real. She had seen him before, when she had forced Oliver to do a read with her all those years ago. When her conscience was connected to his, she felt the bond between the twins, but didn't dare touch it. It was fascinating to feel the depth of their complex power, she felt the flow of magic from Jack as he carefully watched the exchange between herself and Oliver across the room._

 _Suddenly, things took a turn for the worst when she was pulled into the darkest parts of his mind. The horrible experiments he endured, she felt. To stop her, Oliver summoned more power to block her out, only it seemed to increase the amount of pain from the experience._

 _That's when she saw the man, he was the doctor who tortured Oliver and Jack. From their memories, he was called Mengele. She made sure to follow Jack, so she would make sure he didn't do anything rash. However, by the time she made it to the U.K., something had gone wrong. Jack was able to use his magic, even though Oliver was dead. She knew he had done something in order to hunt down that man._

 _When the demon took over her body, she saw Mengele through its memories. He was the demons master, summoning it to lure a power source to him. A power source such as the anchor. Mengele learnt of the anchor after he tortured it out of Oliver. He had been under the impression that, perhaps if the twins were linked, Jack would be the anchor after his twin died._

 _He was trying to lure the anchor here._

 _Trying to lure Jack here._

 _Yet, Hiccup was the anchor. She understood that the moment he passed through her mind that first time at Elsa's mansion. He tore down her shields as if they were made of paper, then took her to that strange void. She was suppose to forget, but somehow her memories were only blurred. So, to find answers she returned to the states to learn about the possibility of the anchor._

 _An ache, like a blow to the chest went through her as she continued to weep. The thought of Hiccup being tangled in this mess… The thought that Mengele would take Hiccups life, while he was hunting for Jack, was gut wrenching. It was horrible the kinds of evil deeds such a man was capable of._

 _According to the demon, while she lay comatose, exploring his evil thoughts, that's exactly what the doctor intended to do - Mengele was going to finish what he started._

It was enough. I had listened enough, learned about enough. I pulled out of Zel's mind, panting, and also weeping.

"You shouldn't have come."

^.^

 **Authors Notes:** Now we finally know if Zel has truly known about the Anchor! The answer is... Yes! Even though in that chapter, she was suppose to forget, somehow, she didn't. I wonder if Hiccup will confide in her about his plans... Or, will he continue to push everyone away?

Will Jack start to put the pieces together about the Lasser Glass? Or, will Hiccup be able to keep him in the dark?

What about the quest for the glass, will Hiccup listen to the Angel, and will he use his friends to help? And, where is Oliver when we need him!

This case only gets more and more interesting :D

Please review, follow and Favorite for updates!

Thank you everyone :)


	22. Chapter 22 - Stolen Souls

**Authors Pre-Notes** : First, and foremost, I want to apologize about this being late! I've had to travel so this has been a little on the back burner! Fear not though, I have officially decided to finish this particular series (which I have already drafted and just needs to be edited). This is really exciting for me because I've never done a two part series. I suppose we'll see how it goes! The second part of the series is drafted already, and just needs some more context/content.

I've come to see the the original idea of Guardians Paranormal Group was to give rise to Hiccups abilities. As we continue on in the story, we can see him starting to break away from simply learning about these abilities. His story is starting to become different and I want put it into a separate series to show it more :)

I won't speak too much on it until the FINAL chapter of Guardians Paranormal Group ;P

Please, REVIEW, FOLLOW and FAVORITE!

 **Masks of JM and JS:** I love that idea!

 **Roxacoricofallapartoreuous:** Hahaha, suspense if my specialty!

 **MissPurple1234** : Yes, so many questions with little answers...For now! Hahaha, Hiccup is going to have to learn how to compromise what he's willing to tell the truth about and what he's not, in order to get anywhere.

..::Song of Inspiration: What'd you want from me - Adam Lambert::..

^.^

"This is something bigger than an earth spirit, Bunny." Jack spoke into the phone as Merida, Zel and I watched him quietly. We had gathered in the room with all of our equipment the moment Zel felt good enough to get out of bed.

"Continue holding down the office with Anna, I don't know how much longer this case will be. Uh huh," he paused - listening. "Just don't take on any cases that are too complicated. Simple and clean, okay? Thank you, Bunny. Bye."

"He must be fuming," Merida cracked a smile, the first I had seen on her in days. "This whole case 'as been such a mess."

Zel looked down into her hands, folded on her lap. "I'm sorry for getting into that situation. I should have known better."

Jack watched from the other side of the room, "it's not your fault. As I've said before, there is a spirit here that is defiant enough, and is willing to hurt us. We need to clean this place, and keep it clean."

Quickly, I glanced at Zel. Her green, round eyes were on me as well - unaware that we both were thinking the same thing.

This wasn't because of the spirits here.

I was almost positive about that now. With my powers back, I would be able to tune into the Orphanage without much trouble. I was positive the spirits there would be easy to deal with once I got a second chance at walking through the place later tonight.

"We still aren't sure what these spirits want," Merida said.

Jack shook his head, "we can't leave this place until we can prove to Dimitri and Anya the place is clean." He gave me a sad, yet firm look. "Let's just say, Dimitri wasn't impressed to hear you brought up the Lasser Glass to Anastasia. His kindness can only be stretched so far. I say, we get as much done tonight, then we can carry on tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get out of here, and on a plane back home by the end of the week."

The end of the week. Which meant, Jack had one less week to try and find Mengele, to kill him - he had one less week before the bargain took hold, and Eris took his life.

I still wasn't sure what I was going to do about that. Not sure if I was going continue looking for the Lasser Glass, or to give up. Then, I would be giving up on any help from Pitch, which meant I would have to wholeheartedly rely on Eris keeping her end of the bargain. Then I would have to free her, and let her terrorize the world in whatever twisted way she felt.

Unless I went looking for the mirror. But to do that, according to Anya's grandmother, I would have to find other artifacts in this house, and use my friends for help. Which was something I was not, at all, prepared to do.

"Jack, we can't possibly cleanse the entire place. Some spirits do not wish to pass on," Zel's voice was soft, sweet. She had only been awake for a couple of days, and already she looked much better. There was a flush to her cheeks again, her eyes were more lively.

"We have to at least try our best," I finally spoke, looking at my friends. "Each of us have our own unique skills, so we can do our best to ensure this is done as quickly, and effeciently as possible. We owe our clients that much."

Jack grinned in the stillness of the room, "there, you heard it straight from the boss. We continue on with cleansing the Orphanage."

More silence answered him, before Merida breathed out, "Aey, I'll bring ma' Da'a."

A slow smile spread across Zel's face, bringing forth her natural, kind - yet sassy - self.

"Yes, I'll try my best too."

Jack sat across from us, in a sofa chair. He leaned on his knees, "then let's discuss how this will go down."

It was determined that instead of a walk through, like I had prepared for, we would be doing a lockdown.

We discussed possible scenarios, positions and roles during the lockdown tonight. Merida would take the school building, which was the one I made the bargain with Eris in. My back burned in memory, from the deal inked down the columns of my spine and shoulders.

Zel would take the grounds, where Jack and I would take the recreation building. We were going to lure out the negative spirits, in hopes to get the one that possessed Zel. However, Jack didn't know that the spirit had already been killed by Anya's Grandmother. I didn't say anything, thinking that there might be more there, so it wouldn't hurt to try.

Merida would summon three of her Da'a. She would leave one with herself, Zel, and one to roam the grounds, warning her of anything malicious there.

They wouldn't know, but I would summon Toothless. I took the black magic for granted, forgetting the velvety smoothness of it as the magic responded to my command. Once our meeting was over, we parted ways and I stood alone in my room, touching that black velvet wall of magic. Alone in my room, I summoned Toothless, missing the big green eyes of the black dragon - my protector.

He blinked at me, accusingly.

"I know, I won't let that happen again," I said, petting his scaly head. Toothless pressed harder into my touch, and I almost thought he was real. As if, somehow through the magic, I could make him real. Perhaps he was, in a way.

I kneeled, holding his head in my arms, looking into his bright green eyes. He looked at me as if he understood what I was going to say. "I need you to protect my friends," I whispered, slowly rubbing his jaw.

His bright eyes were my response, they flickered in hesitation before I felt his large head nod. I felt his muscles, his lethal power, brimming behind his scales. We would need it, for whatever unknown entities we were about to face. I didn't know what kind those were, if they were trapped spirits or more of Mengele's demons.

We would need all the help we could get.

^.^

I wasn't surprised that Jack rented a second car. I was surprised that he chose a car exactly like his back home - a black, sleek Mercedes (where did he even find that?). The ladies were going to take the SUV with the equipment. Gene agreed to come with us, to watch base while we investigated. I don't think he minded since he was getting to know how to use the equipment, and was like a European Bunny in a way - able to do the heavy lifting and more technical things we needed.

Jack and I would be driving in the Mercedes. However, just before we were about to leave, I saw him walk around to the side of the house, glancing back and nodding his chin for me to follow. I did, walking slowly behind him, weaving through the beautiful garden. It was back here, where Pitch - Erebus - came to me in the form of Zel as a shadow. That was the spot I had made my first bargain.

There was a bench Jack walked to, sinking down in it, sighing. "I'll be honest with you, Hic. I'm nervous as all hell."

"Why?" I watched him lean back, looking up at the sky with his matching blue eyes. We still had some light before it would be gone.

"Too many risks, there are too many things that can go wrong," he breathed. "We aren't just a ghost adventures team, where we go into a building, round up some evidence and leave. Every time we do this, try to allow spirits to pass on, things can go wrong. We are dealing with things that no one can completely understand."

I took a seat next to him, "then why risk it?"

Jack smiled, his bright teeth flashing for a moment before it disappeared into a groan. "I do it because this is what I wanted."

"You don't want this anymore?"

He gave me a sidelong glance, "I don't feel like this is what I need to be doing anymore."

Jack didn't know that I understood what he meant - that he had to now focus all his energy on finding and killing Mengele, before Eris's time bargain was up. I wanted to tell him that I knew, that I understood. But, it would cause too many problems, open up too many of my own poorly locked lies.

"I want to go with you," I said, quietly. "I told you before that I would help you find your brother, that I was going to be by your side."

I turned to face him, Jack's mouth was open, his wide eyes were bright. "Hiccup, you have school. You have your whole life ahead of you. I couldn't take that away from you, and force you to do what I -" he choked, breathing in deeply. "I wouldn't force you to do that."

"Jack, you aren't forcing me. I want to go with you." I looked at my hands in my lap, closing my eyes. "I know about Eris."

My voice was barely a whisper, so quiet, I wasn't sure I had even said anything. But, Jack's face told me I indeed, spoke those words. There were too many lies, too many secrets between us. I didn't want that, this wasn't the way I wanted to be with Jack. I needed to tell him the truth, even if it was just part of it.

He stared at me, pale. "I wanted to tell you. God knows, I wanted to, Hiccup."

"I know," I reached for his hand. "It's okay. I want to help you, so please, don't push me away. Let me stay with you. I don't care about school, I can always go back when I'm ready. Right now, I'm ready to help you face whatever Demons you have to."

Jack squeezed my fingers, "I might be bad at it - letting you in."

I knew what he meant: he'd been alone all this time. Pushing people away and building so many walls around himself that, even he, sometimes couldn't get through them. Somehow, he let me in.

I grinned, leaning close to him, "you can't be bad at that. Besides, don't I have you wrapped around my finger?"

His blue eyes brightened as his lips parted into a feline grin. The man who was carefree, fun loving and selfless. This was the man that I loved.

Loved.

Not like - this was something deeper. Beyond all of my secrets, I knew there was a feeling there. Something unknown, something I've never experienced before. So slowly, I leaned towards him, our breaths mingling for a second longer before our lips touched.

We kissed each other slowly, the first kiss we had here since the plane. Before this all got so complicated. In that moment, it was as if there was nothing between us. No secrets, no bargains - nothing. Gently, Jack lifted a hand to my jaw, stroking the skin there. I shivered, parting my lips more and he deepened the kiss.

I couldn't see myself with anyone else, didn't want to imagine what life would have been like had I not met Jack. He opened my eyes to this intense power - to this world. I wanted to be with him, with everything that I was, and everything that I am. As we kissed one another, I realized that there was no one else I wanted to be with, to spend my life with, or to hunt down these demons with, than him.

Slowly, so slowly, Jack pulled away. His blue eyes sparkled, grinning as he kissed my nose, before standing up. His hand grasped mine and he pulled me up with a chuckle. We walked, hand in hand, back to the car - back to the team.

Towards our, possibly, very last case with the Guardians Paranormal Group.

^.^

The recreation building was quiet - erie. Yet, the walls seemed to breath, shifting and sighing as if they were alive.

Jack had set up the last of the cameras, determined to catch something on film. The ladies took their own cameras and equipment, while Gene stayed outside at a central 'base' where he would overlook all the cameras. He would let us know, via Walkie talkies, if he saw anything out of the ordinary.

I grabbed an audio recorder from our bags, and just before we started, I stretched my power's out around the room. Toothless was nearby, guarding us in the corner. I felt his bright, green eyes on me as I moved around the room. I tried to summon a shield of darkness, like I had that one time outside of Jack's apartment with Oliver.

Speaking of Oliver, ever since I came over seas, I hadn't seen him at all. It would have been helpful if he decided to show up, to help me with the tasks of either: finding the mirror, or the other artifacts.

Those would have to wait, though. I focused on my work, turning the darkness into a thin, shifting wall of wind that felt like pinpricks against my skin. It would allow me to sense if a spirit stepped through the barrier, unlike when I was with Oliver, I summoned the shield to keep them out. Without further distractions, I turned on the recorder.

"Who's with us?" Jack started the EVP session as I nodded to him, holding out the audio recorder.

"What is your purpose?"

Question after question, I didn't feel anything tapping against that shield, meaning nothing had entered this room to communicate with us. There was a shift in the air, though, and I knew Toothless had left - probably to where a spirit was.

"We need to go down the hall," I stretched my power throughout the large rooms before I sensed Toothless again. "Is there a corridor down here?"

Jack nodded, leading us out. The only lights we had were the screens from the night vision on our handheld cameras. Down, down, down, we walked into the darkness before I stopped at the sudden rush of energy.

I pointed to the doorway ahead of us, holding out the recorder. "Who are you?"

The figure was of a middle aged woman, and I suddenly wondered if I could hold souls with my darkness, before sending them to Pitch.

"Anchor," the woman's voice was raspy.

I didn't know how I was going to hold her, but I forced dark tendrils around her, in my head I heard her scream, as those talons clutched her. I hardened the wall, and like a dark fist, I kept her within that darkness.

There was another sensation on my skin, Toothless had moved again. I followed him to what could have been a change room, finding the spirit of a young boy. With the same, careful, technique, I captured him.

Over and over, I followed Toothless, followed that familiar ping of darkness, as I stretched my power's out to capture the spirits. By the sixth one, I was panting when I felt the next pang on my skin, indicating Toothless had found another. This place was infested with spirits, there were so many, I wasn't sure how we would clean it all. Most of the ones I had, besides the first older lady, were children.

"You're pushing too much," Oliver said in the darkness as I exited a room. Suddenly, I stopped, glancing around, not sure if I had morphed myself into the Dark Lands and didn't even notice.

Only Jack stood behind me, lifting his face from the viewfinder, "you okay?"

"Yeah," I breathed. "There's another down here."

Beside me, I felt his presence, but couldn't see him. "You're going to break, the magic won't last. You need to send them to the Gates before you continue."

I couldn't - it would take too much time. Perhaps if I could mist them, the way Pitch had. Yes, that was fast, making capturing all the souls here easier - effortless.

Quickly, I gathered the darkness to my fingertips, feeling the magic roiling. In response, my shields around the spirits I've captured shuttered. I concentrated on those shields, turning them into talon tipped claws, then squeezed harder.

I tore into the souls, effortlessly. Slicing through them with my darkness. They screamed as I worked the power, controlling it, molding it. Then, with a quick breath in, I clenched my hand shut - the shields, the slicing magic, their screams, stopped.

Darkness, like sand, blew around me. Misted. Completely ended, as if they never existed. Their screams were no longer echoing off the walls. The souls no longer lived in the Dark Lands, no longer would they get the chance to pass through the Gates.

They were gone.

In the midst of the moment, I snapped back into reality. I had fallen to the ground, on my knees. Jack was standing over me, shaking me gently. I shook my head, pushing myself up - we needed to keep moving.

"I'm fine," I gasped, gathering myself.

There was too much to be done, and too many spirits here for us to stop. We needed to move on. But, the weight of all those souls I had just robbed - I could barely move my legs without a conscious effort. The old walls of the building witnessed what I had just done, staring me down with shame.

I bet they knew that guilt recoiled in my veins, along with the disgust and rage. To save Jack, to help my friends - I robbed all those souls, plus more to come. I lied to myself when I thought it would be easy or effortless. It broke another part of my humanity, of what made human - defining me from the dead. It was the same part of me that broke the night I stabbed Nav.

As I continued towards where Toothless waited, signalling another spirit, I realized I would have to rob more and more spirits after this was all said and done.

In the other realm, I heard Oliver say, "I don't blame you."

And then, I shut it all out - the guilt, the shame, their endless screams - as I did what I had to do.

^.^


	23. Chapter 23 - Bury Me

**Authors Pre-Notes** : There is MATURE content in this chapter. Lets get right into this! Shoutout so to all the awesome reviews, thank you all so much!

 **Vampireharry the 2** \- Thank you for your review! Keep looking forward to more twists on this crazy journey!

 **MissPurple1234** \- I keep telling Hiccup the same thing, but trust, he doesn't listen! Haha, oh he's going to be in some kind of trouble, for sure. As for the cliff hangers, I absolutely cannot help them! HEHEHEHE

 **Roxacoricofallapartoreuous** \- He never makes the best decisions... I wonder what he'll get into now!

 **Masks of JM and JS** : Oh yeah, Hiccup is going to be in some kind of trouble... But how much? Maybe he can get himself out of it.

..:: Song of Inspiration - 30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill::..

^.^

Numbness bruised my body. I didn't allow myself to feel anything until I was outside, was panting by the end of it all. The sun began peeking above the horizon, we had been at this all night, and after I sensed every single spirit from that recreation area, then misted them to nothing, I moved to where Merida was. Toothless and I worked as a team, but after he felt my anxiety spike through the bond, he also decided to help destroy the souls. I blocked them out entirely, blocked out their begs to be taken to the gates. Blocked out their screams as those talon-tipped claws sliced through them.

We all met outside, near the cars. Zel was sitting in the passenger seat with the door open and her legs hanging off the side. Merida climbed onto the hood, and I sat on the ground. Jack and Eugene carried back the equipment, since they were the only ones who didn't exert any spiritual. Good, it meant that Jack wasn't dipping into the deep reservoir of power from Eris. It meant that he didn't need to rely on her if I was around.

It was done. We were completely done here, now we could leave. Now Jack and I could focus on finding the Lasser Glass and freeing him from his bonds. I decided that I wasn't going to drag my other friends into this, I could do without the other artifacts, too. Plus, I didn't want to bother Anya and Dimitri anymore. We needed to leave, desperately. So much time was being wasted here - when we needed to work on other things.

"Why do I feel like this is the end?" Zel said, quietly.

I shrugged, keeping my face neutral. "We've done what we were hired to do. We kind of are done here now."

Green, large eyes met my stare, "you know that's not what I mean."

I've often forgot that I needed to keep a healthy mental shield around myself when Zel was near. But, my exhaustion had kept my magic at bay, barely enough for me to snap one up now.

I looked away, now answering her. I could feel Merida's curious stare jumping between us, "what's she talkin' about?"

Neither of us answered for a long moment. "Hiccup and Jack are looking for something, they're going to stay here to find it," Rapunzel said.

Merida's eyes widened, "what?"

"I didn't even say anything!" I shot up, glaring at Zel. A cruelness, deep within me rumbled. "You don't understand the whole story, so don't accuse us of doing anything."

She gave me an even stare, "you didn't deny it."

I swallowed hard, breathing through my nose, and clenching my hands at my sides. My skin was boiling, the urge to scream at her was pounding in my veins. I clenched my jaw tight, willing ice into my blood.

"Think what you want," stepping closer to her, I hissed, "but don't you dare tell Jack about this."

The cruel thought that glimmered in my head was brought to the surface. Gazing into Zel's eyes, I immediately shoved against her walls. They were strong, fully secured, but they couldn't withstand the darkness. Everyone had a darkness, and as I found Zel's, I snaked into her mind, tapping talon tipped fingers against her delicate spiritual bond. It was the strangest bond in colouring, glimmering gold - basically calling me to it.

She whimpered as I continued tapping. I pushed a thought towards her mind.

 _How easy it would be to snap these memories. Tell Jack, and I will._

In that talon of darkness, I clutched her mind. Her consciousness was fully yielded to me. Thoughts, fearful yet delicious thoughts, flashed vividly in my mind of the things I would do to her if she dare tell Jack.

By the end of it, her blood stained my hands, and I breathed in the scent of her death.

My darkness clamped shut on me, my own consciousness spiralled back to reality. Merida had jumped off the hood of the car at some point, shoving me back. It had enough force that I stumbled backwards, panting.

"Stay away from her Hiccup!" Merida shouted at me, her sharp blue eyes burning into my own and...

"Hiccup?"

I blinked once. Twice. I was standing in front of Zel, completely unaware of when I had gotten up, completely unaware of how much time went by. Zel was staring at me with wide eyes and Merida was beside me suddenly, gently tugging on my wrists. I took two full steps back, my mind reeling.

"Hiccup, are 'ya okay?" Merida asked gently, but I didn't know. A moment ago, I thought I had just threatened Zel, I was so mad, and so close to snapping her memories - of clipping those powers from her. Then, I showed her those horrible thoughts, those horrible deeds that I suddenly knew weren not what I would commit, but what Pitch would.

I flinched when someone touched my back, jumping around to see who it was, to push them away. Jack was giving me a concerned look, "you okay, Hic?"

I didn't know. I couldn't figure out if this was really happening.

"I'm fine," I breathed in deeply, hands shaking. "I'm just exhausted."

"Don't worry," Jack said. "We're done here."

I nodded as everyone continued to get ready to leave. Zel's stare lingered a moment longer, before she closed the door. We may be done here, but I knew the darkness around me, this anger, was the reflection of what was happening within me.

Pitch was pissed.

^.^

He blocked me access to the Gates. I could tell this anger, the radiating darkness was from him. My punishment for misting all those souls. We got back to the mansion, hardly unpacking before Jack and I walked towards the entrance to tell our hosts the job was done.

Dimitri met us outside, Anya mere steps behind. The feeling that passed between the two men was tense, intimidating. Not quite a match of manliness, but something else.

"I would like to thank you for your hospitality during these weeks," Jack spoke first. His voice was clipped as he gracefully slipped on his favorite mask. I kept my own face neutral, especially as I felt Anya's stare, the Xephirian Amulet, on me.

"I take it you have finished your business here?" Dimitri eyed the SUV, the equipment there. I watched as he glanced at Gene, who waited by the vehicle with Zel and Merida.

Jack gave him a tight nod, "yes, we finished this morning. I've secured flights for us for tomorrow afternoon. As payment, seeing as this entire trip was not according to plan, lets settle with allowing us to use your hospitality for another night."

Dimitri pursed his lower lip, nodding. "Yes, that should be sufficient. Anya and I were just stepping out," he gestured to his wife as she stood motionless. She wore a fitted one peice, black pantsuit and white pearls. "You can have the house to yourselves for the evening, Gene knows where everything is if you need anything."

"Thank you," Jack said, then turned to me.

"Thank you," I nodded as Dimitri walked down the large parking lot, towards the garage. Anya stopped just in front of me.

"Anya?" Dimitri turned, extending a hand.

She waved him off, "I'll be a moment. Hiccup, could I talk to you for a minute?"

Jack tilted his chin, I could read the message in his eyes.

 _Keep your mouth shut._

I nodded, turning my back on Jack as Anya lead me into the house. I followed in silence, her shoes clicking from each step she took. Anya lead us into a spare room on the main floor, closing the door tightly behind me.

"I'm sorry," she slowly turned to face me. "I realized that I over reacted."

"I also want to apologize for what happened. I had no idea about the glass and your family."

Anya moved closer to where I stood, "I don't know why you're looking for the mirror. But, I know that whatever you need it for, it can't be good."

"You may think that, but I promise you, what I'm going to use it for _is_ good." I met her gaze, with my own - keeping a steady head.

She stared before sighing, "since I've met you, something just didn't feel right. It was like this was calling to you," she lifted the pendant, and I tried not to flinch away from it. "I've been having these dreams about you, and they are unsettling to say the least. I think they're trying to tell me that you'll need help. This amulet has protected me, and there's others like it." Anya hesitated, folding the jewel in her fingers, "The Lasser Glass is not something you should take lightly."

"I know," I said quietly.

She pulled out a piece of paper that was kept in the pocket of her pant suit, "let's agree not to tell Dimitri about this."

I nodded as she slipped the paper into my palm, then shook my hand. I knew better than to ask her anything specific about the glass. For that, I was on my own.

"You have no idea how much this means to me, Anya."

Before she let go, she leaned in close. Her voice was a mix between a snarl and a yelp. "Promise me that when you do what you need with it, you'll destroy it."

"I-I don't think I can," in no way was I in any shape to make more bargains. Her eyes glazed over. "I'll try, whatever I can, I'll try though."

A slow, sad smile touched her features. "Thank you, Hiccup. I know you mean that."

Anya didn't say anything else as she left the room and I wondered if I would cross her path ever again. When I heard her footsteps down the hall, I unfolded the paper.

 _Hiccup, I knew you would be looking for this._

 _The following locations will have some of our most powerful family heirlooms. They are from my grandmother, the same ones I've seen in my dream that I think you must use. You will need all three of these before you can access the Lasser Glass. I'm sorry, but I will not give you the exact location, I hope you can understand._

 _I don't quite understand it, but I feel like I can trust in your cause to search for the Mirror._

 _Good luck._

There was no signature, but at the very bottom of the paper were three coordinates.

GPS coordinates - or map coordinates. I wasn't sure, but I quickly transferred them to my phone, burning them into my memory. This was it - the piece I've been looking for. The push I needed to get us started on this crazy, reckless journey.

The hunt for the Lasser Glass. It was a step in the right direction. However, gaining the artifacts seemed more tedious than not.

I walked down the hall, repeating the coordinates over and over, making my way towards the entrance of the house, when I heard Merida's voice yelling from outside.

"Why?"

Jack just stood there, staring down at her. His face unreadable. Watching as she slammed her hands into his chest. "Why can't you open up to us? Why leave us in the dark, and not say anything?"

He yielded a step, grabbing her hands on his chest, "my hands are tied, Merida. I can't tell you until… Well, until it's done." His throat bobbed, "I'm sorry."

Eugene was sizing them up, frozen between the thought of separating them, or letting them continue.

Merida whirled on Zel, "why didn't you say anything?"

Zel breathed in sharply, "I didn't know if it was true."

"Why do I feel like this is the end?" Merida stepped away from them, folding herself within her arms. "You said so yerself, earlier, did you not?" She glanced at Zel again. Those were her exact words this afternoon, when she confronted me. Or so, I imagined they were, still not entirely sure what happened outside.

Jack also crossed his arms, looking at Zel, then to Merida. "Because this is the end. At least for now. Hiccup and I aren't getting on the plane tomorrow, just you two."

"For how long?" Zel stepped towards him, hurt flashing in her eyes. She had known, probably from going through my head, but hadn't realized that perhaps it was real.

"I don't know," Jack said.

But Zel was still staring at Jack, those silent tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.

"I'm done," Merida said in the silence, looking at Jack. "I'm going to the office, collecting my stuff and I'm done. I've tried to get you to open up, tried to help you with your business, your powers. But, this is too much."

I walked down the stairs, "Merida, please -"

She spun around, "you have been keeping secrets too, haven't you?"

"We all have secrets," I said, slowly. "Sometimes you can't help it, because you want to protect the people you care about."

"That aint' protecting nobody but yourself." She growled at me, blue eyes on fire.

Guilt struck me, and I glanced at Jack. We were falling apart. This wasn't how I wanted things to end - not how I wanted it to go.

Merida was right, she so blatantly was right. How could I have gotten us into such a mess? Not only with Jack, but our team - we were falling apart. Merida stormed off in the opposite direction, while Eugene gently touched Zel's shoulder. She looked up at him, giving him a sad, longing look - something only apparent to them. Gently, he lead her towards the cars again.

Nobody bothered to speak - not of where they were going, or if they would be back. Jack must have given them the information about the plane, so if they got on it or not, was up to them.

As for us… What now?

Jack breezed past me, stalking directly inside the house with footage from last night - probably to review it, to get away from all of this, if only for a moment.

I dug into my pocket, crumpling up the paper. So many secrets, so close to being exposed. There had to be something, anything, this dark power could do for me.

This darkness… I remembered the vision I had earlier, about pushing into Zel's mind, and holding her thoughts. I terrorized her with this darkness, but what if I could alter her memories? And, if not just hers, what if I could block out Eris?

There was no way to know for sure, not beyond the rumbling in my gut. It would be too risky to try without knowing if this was one hundred percent.

I ran to the back of the house, this idea - this crazy idea - pushing me forward. When I found the spot I wanted, I melted from this world, into the Dark Lands. I clenched my teeth when no one greeted me on the other side.

"Oliver?" I wrapped my power around this world, my darkness searching for him. But, unlike the first time I searched for Oliver, where I kept imagining Jack. I pictured Oliver, in all of his essence. Though they were identical, I could practically see the differences. Oliver had slightly more freckles on his pale skin, his hair and eyes were just shades darker than Jacks. Oliver also had a scar on the corner of his lip, either from being tortured or a birthmark, but it was so faint I had never noticed it until this moment.

Every detail, I imagined. Everything that made them different, I conjured into my power to search for him.

A white light blocked me out, but I pushed past the sheer brightness of it. This was Oliver's light, his power in these dark worlds.

They morphed together, dark and light, before I blinked and he stood in front of me.

"You really have mastered it," he breathed, blue eyes wide.

I wish I could say he was right, but there was still so much I needed to know. So much I needed to learn. "I need to know if something will work."

"Why not ask him?" I knew who he meant, but I didn't want to face his wrath of misting those spirits yet. As if the sheer mention of his name would send me to him.

"I can't," I gasped. "Not after what happened to those souls."

Oliver kept a steady gaze on me. "I might not know the answer."

Not a denial that he wasn't willing to listen. "There are times when I can go into people's minds, and I can see their memories. Sometimes, I can even alter them, or make them see what I want." I remembered Nav's mother, the leader of the coven, and what I did to her memories of witchcraft. Of the vision I sent to Zel, unaware if she had truly seen it or, I imagined the encounter.

"Is it possible to block Eris out, by going into Jacks mind?"

"It it." He replied, "The real challenge wouldn't be if you can do it, but if she will be able to break past it," Oliver said. He nodded towards my tattooed hand, "there's no hiding that in this world. If Pitch truly wants to help you, maybe he will make sure the power holds."

"Is Pitch more powerful than Eris?"

A nod, "but when she is free, she will have the edge."

"Then why does she want to free him?" I wondered, thinking back to her one conditions for her bargain. "She said they fought together in the war, yet Erebus doesn't care for her, or for being free."

"I would think it's because she knows she might have a better chance at defeating him when he's forced to use his own powers," Oliver said.

"You think that without the bond, Erebus is weak?" There was curiosity growing in that question. "That Eris wants to free them so they can battle it out?"

"Possibly," Oliver mused. "Or maybe she has something more sinister planned."

I shivered at the thought, even imagining the wickedness of Eris's mind was just child's play. Pitch wasn't the threat, at least not the immediate one. I would have to figure out a way to deal with him later.

Eris was all of our enemies - the face of evil.

"Help me find a way to free her," I said with iciness. From Oliver's scowl, I could tell he wasn't on board for helping Eris at all. "If we can find a way to free her, than we can make sure she never knows it. Then, she will never be free."

A dark smile spread across Oliver's face, "I like the way you think."

^.^

It had been the first time I talked to Oliver in a while. But I told him the premise of the deals, with both Erebus and Eris. He agreed to help, at least on this side.

I had one more thing to do in this dark world, something I've been avoiding since the Orphanage. I felt the bond open back up, allowing me to dive towards the Gates.

The world around me shifted, The looming gates were the first to appear, then the dark plane. Then Erebus.

He grinned at me, "I hope you enjoyed that little vision I sent you. Her shields were quite the challenge to break through, but it was fun."

I ignored him, pushing past those dark thoughts he plagued my mind with. The things he was more than capable of doing to Zel.

"I didn't know what else to do," It wasn't a lie. In the moment, I had panicked, not wanting to waste too much of the night sending them to Pitch. Plus, in a way, it saved me from re-living their deaths after.

The grin faded, "to say I'm upset would be an understatement." He walked towards the gates, gently caressing the iron. "I figured, it was only fair for me to still consume a soul."

"What are you talking about -"

Beside me, a figure materialized. My body went still, "why're you here?"

I stared into the wide, brown eyes of my father. "I was only trying to watch over you, my son. I'm sorry."

Pitch twisted his finger, my dad screamed.

Tormenting agony flashed through his face before he fell to the ground. My father was short, but he was a big man. Nothing dropped him to his knees, but in this moment, sheer, malicious intent shone on Pitch's face as he watched my dad thrashing on the ground. His back arched awkwardly as another tremor of pain passed through him.

"Stop! Please stop," I yelled. When I moved towards my father being broken in two on the floor, a pair of hands held me in place.

"No, you can't do this," I sobbed.

" _You can't do this!_ "

In the emptiness, a bone cracked. My father went limp, his spine bent horribly. Beneath his stillness, my father blinked. "I can't feel anything."

"I severed your spinal nerves," Pitch said with a cruelness. "But that doesn't mean you won't feel anything."

Tears streamed from my eyes, "please, leave him alone. He didn't do anything." I looked back at Pitch. "Punish me instead! Hurt me instead of him, you coward!"

A cruel smile touched his features. "Oh, don't worry," he purred. "You'll soon feel the exact pain."

From the darkness, mutated animals rose. Their skin was stark white against the darkness, and had tiny, bony-ribbed bodies. Long tails touched the ground as they crawled on all fours towards us. White, oval eyes were deep set on either side of their heads. Their teeth were sharp, like a pikes, and their mouths were wide, circular. Perfect for shredding. They salivated at the sight of my father, lying limp on the ground. With no command from Pitch, with no master, they scurried over to him.

The first to reach him, lunged straight for his neck.

Dad screamed. I screamed.

The pack made their way to him, each one savagely pouncing on him, ripping their teeth into his flesh. Those razor sharp teeth, made for shredding, tore into him. Blood - real blood - oozed around him as he continued to scream. The white bodies were stained in that same life substance. I understood why Pitch severed his spine, it was so he couldn't move. So he couldn't fight off the pack of hungry demons.

Dad cried out, cried for me to help, and I closed my eyes. Alone in my darkness, guilt consumed me. Guilt, shame - it showed me its true ugly form. I left my father alone, to be gnawed on, to be eaten alive, while I shut him out.

But I could never shut out those cries, just like I could never shut out the screams from the spirits I misted. They would forever haunt me, forever be with me. I could never escape those faces, those screams.

This place, after everything was all said and done, was going to be my hell.

When carnage was done, those monsters disappeared, leaving my father in a broken mess. His face had been eaten, chunks of flesh ripped from his body. Some pink, jelly like colours glistened in the darkness, they matched the rest of his body and neck. I knew he had felt all of it.

Pitch chuckled. "You'll feel everything too."

The gates burst open, those invisible hands finally let me fall to the ground. There was a crack within my body when my knees slammed into the abyss. I didn't care, didn't let it bother me. I had no strength in me to scream or fight, as those shadows dragged me beyond the gates.

This was my punishment. This was my hell.


	24. Chapter 24 - Darkness Rising

**Authors Pre-Notes:** Wow this is actually my shortest chapter in this series! Kind of exiciting! Anyways, thank you all for reviewing last chapter, it's always so great to see what you guys are saying! Please, continue reviewing, favourting and following!

Also, on this note. NEXT chapter is the final chapter for this part of the journey! It's going to be kind of bitter sweet for me, but this marks the end of a new journey for Hiccup and Jack, which is what I've been trying to lead up to all this time (is it obvious?) It will be uploaded next Tuesday! As for the next little series, I'll have a date next chapter, and more information on what to expect! There will probably be a little break between, but I promise you it will be just as exciting as GPG.

Now, a shout out to all the awesome reviews!

 **MissPurple1234:** **Yes it was pretty dark, and I feel so bad for putting Hiccup through that. But, it does make him stronger, so I wonder if he'll use this strength to continue looking for answers...**

 **Roxacoricofallapartoreuous:** **Awhhhhhhh! *Gushes* Thank you! That is so kind :)** **I do think about it, but honestly writing Fanfics are so much easier because the characters are already there for you, so are the story lines and the different worlds. Writing a book is on my bucket list and I hope that this little series (and all of you) can inspire me more to one day do it!**

 **Masks of JM and JS:** **Yes, it was a sad punishment, which in a way was kind of fair... To play devils advocate... Hiccup did take away the chance for those spirits to pass on, or to linger, or to feed Pitch's insatiable hunger...As for the big war, I think Hiccup has much more motivation now. I mean...Pitch is technically the bad guy... Right? ;)**

 **Vampire Harry the 2:** **Thank you for the review! I really appreciate all of them that you have left for me :)**

 **Dragonriderandpalidengirl123:** **Hello! And thank you for the review! Jack made the deal with Eris to help him have access to his power. Since him and Oliver are linked through psychic powers, they have a unique bond. Jack harbours the power, while Oliver can manipulate it and use it in different types of PK. Since his brother had been murdered, Oliver didn't die peacefully. Which meant, his soul was still floating around in the Dark Lands and Jack could potentially still have access to his powers. So, he used dark magic to summon Eris to him and make a bargain with her to kill Mengele (the bad Doctor). BUUUT he has a time limit, and if he doesn't find Mengele, then Eris will consume his soul without him fulfilling his cause. If he does find Mengele, she will still consume his soul unless Hiccup can find a way to free her. I hope this helps, and keep reading! Enjoy!**

..::Song of Inspiration - Diary of Jane - Breaking Benjamin::..

I was in a prison - no, it was worst. I was at the Gates. No, I was sitting in a room, on a bed. I coached myself to see reality, to see that I was not at the Gates. My chest ached, worse than anything I could endure. As I reigned in my breathing, I brought my knees closer to my chest, biting down on my cry. I had to keep my wits about me, I couldn't show weakness. Quietly, alone in the room, I surveyed my options.

The coordinates from Anya meant I was closer to finding the Lasser Glass. Which would ensure Pitch's help when dealing with Eris, and breaking Jack's curse. To start, one of the coordinates wasn't far from here - perhaps a day or so by train. I could hitch hike to the station, then take the train to the small town. From there, I would search for the exact location. Hopefully, the artifact was easy to spot.

I didn't even consider how I would get to the next one, which seemed to be even more inland. It would take days to get there, plus even more money. I'd have a ways to go before I even got close to the final location - then God knows where the Lasser Glass is actually located.

Before that, I had one more task to do - one more thing I needed to make sure worked. I gripped my legs harder, to keep my hands from shaking. There could be no flaws in my mask, no holes. But, I didn't want to use that power, not after -

I clenched my teeth, fisting my hands through my hair and tugging hard. A yelp escaped my lips when someone cracked open the door. I ducked into the corner, the shadow slipping through the door, crossing the room swiftly.

"Hiccup?"

She snuck up on me, I hadn't expected to see her so soon. I wasn't ready to try this now, not ready to use these powers of mine. I tried to stand, but my legs shook so hard, I couldn't move. "Zel?" I breathed, making out her features as she moved next to me, claiming a spot on the edge of the bed.

"By the Gods, are you alright?"

"Where am I?" A small amount of light shone in her hands, from her phone. I knew where I was, waiting patiently for her to finally show up, but she didn't need to know that.

Her eyes narrowed with concern, "have you lost your mind? You're in my room, Hiccup. What happened?"

I fought the tears, there was no point for them here. Not when I needed to be in the right mindset, needed to wear the right mask.

Slowly, I gathered my power. "I feel so bad about what happened earlier, I just wanted to tell you that you were right. We are going to stay here to look for something."

"What is it? And why can't Merida and I help you guys?" She stared at me with such light green eyes. "Why push us away when we've been through so much? We've all been through a lot, but we're friends and that is what friends are for - to help each other."

Power, so strong and controlled was coursing through me. I brushed my fingertips against her hand, sending flames through my skin. "Because we're idiots, that's why. You're right, you are our friends and we need to be honest with you. Since you know about everything now, we don't have to lie to you anymore."

I glanced around in the darkness, checking the door, before looking back at her. "I'm the anchor, but you already knew that."

Rapunzel nodded, and I breathed in deeply. "The reason we need to stay here is because I need to find the Lasser Glass."

Beneath my fingers, she went rigid, before snatching her hand away. "You must be joking!"

"I'm not," I tried to grab her hand again, to start the contact from the start. My power rumbled within me as I started building it up again. "We need the Mirror because Jack's soul is connected to a Goddess, and she wantss the Lasser Glass as payment for breaking his bargain to her."

I may have left out more important details, like how she wanted to be free of all human bongs, then free another dangerous, yet powerful, God. But, what was important was that her mind was fully yielded to me.

Zel shook her head, "I can't even begin to believe this." She ran a hand through her hair, "you expect me to believe that we are dealing with a Goddess?"

Firmly, I nodded, gritting my teeth as the power was almost at the peak. I gripped her hand tighter, darkness closing in around me. It was getting harder to control my breathing, or the intent behind my eyes.

I plastered on a concerned look, "we need to find other artifacts though, before we can find the Mirror."

"You understand what the Lasser Glass has done to Anastasia's family, don't you?"

"Of course," I said with more bite than I intended. I simmered down the raging darkness, cooling it with ice. "She decided to help me, but I need to find three other artifacts."

"What kind of artifacts?" She shifted and I clenched her hand. I worked so hard to mold this magic to what I needed, I wasn't prepared to have her break my contact again. Not now.

"I don't know." With a slow, steady breath, I added, "and neither do you."

"What're you talking about -" Her eyebrows dropped, my hold on that magic loosened. It lashed at her, fast, and her eyes glazed over. Shock, concern, fear - all of that melted as my dark powers held her. Gently, I held her mind in my conscious.

Her thoughts were fully exposed to me, as well as her memories. It wasn't the same as actually entering her thoughts, or hearing them. I was simply gazing into them, filtering through the ones I wanted her to remember and the ones I wanted her to forget.

Compulsion, Pitch had called it. To use this power and alter her mind in anyway I saw fit. I realized I could have just told her an outright lie. But, a part of me felt at peace being able to tell another person about everything, and to be honest. Even if it was only for a couple moments longer.

"You won't remember this conversation. You won't remember anything about the Lasser Glass or what I spoke of Jack's bargain. Do you understand?"

Slowly, in her trance, she nodded. From the back of my mind, I shifted through her thoughts, also watching them melt away - as if they had never existed.

But, I wasn't done yet.

I dug deeper, searching for more.

"You will also not look for us. You will get on that plane tomorrow, go back to the office and say we stayed behind to pursue another case. Do you understand?"

She nodded, and I confirmed her memories were altered. Pitch had said I needed to be firm when I gave the orders, or they wouldn't respond. The compulsion would wear off if I showed any emotions.

I kept my face neutral, biting the pain barking in my body from exerting so much power, "you didn't see me tonight and you will forget about me being the anchor."

There was no need to confirm the compulsion on the last comment took hold, because the magic struck her, and she fell limp into my arms. I watched the light flicker from her eyes as I closed them slowly then laid her gently in her bed. I covered her with the blankets, gently running a hand over her jaw, taking in her features, her kind face that always smiled, afraid that I might not see her again.

My body was so weak, it was an effor not to fall over as I got up. My mind was weak, the amount of power I used was staggering. Never had I been able to control it so well... But, it took a serious toll on my body and mind.

As I strode out of the room slowly, I glanced back at her, peacefully asleep. With a small amount of free power, I saw her thoughts were calm, reminiscing about the evening she had with Gene. There was no trace of confusion left in her mind about Jack and I, nor what we were going to do.

There was no trace of our conversation, which meant Pitch kept his promise he made to me after I…

No.

I couldn't think about that. I couldn't remove my mask of darkness. Not when I wasn't done here.

I still had two more people to compel.

^.^


	25. Chapter 25 - Heir of Midnight (FINAL)

**Masks of JM and JS:** Hiccup is trying his hardest not to let what he saw bother him, but I'm sure the details will be spilled sooner of later...

 **Raxacoricofallapatoreous** : Hahahaha gosh! Thank you, I'm really glad you get super into it! That makes me so happy :) although very concerned! Bless your frail nerves #feels

 **Vampireharry the 2:** Thank you very much for the review!

 **MisPurple1234:** He is, isn't he... I promise you, Hiccup is going to get smart real soon here!

..::Song of Inspiration: Linkin Park - Papercut::..

^.^

Everything I was told to do, I messed it up somehow. I was told I could help spirits pass on, yet I've hurt them. I was told I needed to keep my friends close, and I compelled them away. Just like what I did with Zel and Merida. I convinced myself that they would be better off not knowing as much, better off if they just forgot.

I dealt with Merida's memories, keeping the decision with her if she truly wanted to leave. I only wanted her to think about it, with a clear head. Then I worked on Anya's - the final person I needed to compel, since I had a feeling compelling Jack wasn't going to work.

Working around Anya's amulet was tedious, but at least I knew how it worked now. I could avoid it if I slowly used my powers, instead of blindly going in all at once. However, I had one extra task for Anya, something I needed her to do. I knew I couldn't ask her about the Lasser Glass, instead I asked her to bring me the other artifacts in the house, and tell me what each of them were used for, plus anything I should be aware of.

She brought me four, which was all she had hidden away somewhere within the home. I had laid each neatly wrapped artifact on my bed. Toothless was near, within the shadows, as I examined the fine amethyst clothe. Anya told me the first two were a set of simple, silver bangles that would keep unholy spirits away. Immediately, I separated the pair, then placed a small amount of compulsion in each so when I left one to Rapunzel and one to Merida, they would feel the urge to wear them.

Then there was another amulet set on a gold chain. Similar gold wrapped around a dull blue stone, then bound to the middle was a deep ruby in the shape of an eye. She said it was called The Eye of Etlich, and would give the wearer a unique shield, similar to hers in that it would protect the wearer from dark magic. I kept that article away from myself, and made a note to give it to Jack.

The final piece was set neatly in a box - an onyx ring with a large, clear oval chamber. When I took a closer look at the sloshing, deep liquid within, I almost gagged. Anya said it was the blood of a tribal warrior who fought the Gods, preserved over time. The ring would see to it that the wearer was kept 'fed' and make them stronger - whatever that meant.

I didn't know how much of it I believed, but I instantly put it on. The ring itself fit, but the large oval was less than conspicuous on my knuckles. When I had what I needed from Anya, I sent her away. I didn't say goodbye to the girls either when I laid out their parting gifts just as dawn broke over the day. Then, as swiftly as we came, Jack and I took a car to catch our train.

The drive was bittersweet, as it was the end of the Guardians Paranormal Group how we knew it - at least, for now I hoped. Jack and I were to embark on a journey far bigger than anything we could be prepared for.

I fell asleep on the ride to the train, exhausted from the amount of power I had used tonight and from te fear of seeing those horrible images I was left with at The Gates. Toothless sat with me in the darkness of my mind that seemed to swallow me whole. What I've become is not the person I wanted to be. This had gotten so out of control, so thrown into chaos, that I couldn't even sleep without some kind of guilt or shame threatening to rear its ugly head.

Jack was my light within this darkness, within my darkness, and I wanted to focus on that light. He was my anchor to the good. Because without him, I feared I would be capable of cruel things. Everyone had a darkness, and it seemed to trickle into me, into my own dark powers. It seemed the more I started tangling with my magic, the more irritable I became, which had something to do with the amount of dark energy I pulled from such unholy magic.

It made me this shell of a person, a hollow man. I felt empty inside, everything that I used to love, or cherish was somehow ripped from me. I felt more hollow than before I joined the group - the thralls of high school were unbearable. Everyday, I was picked apart by something new, and everyday it would continue to eat me from the inside.

I almost laughed in the back of my mind. Pitying my former self, because that pain and emptiness was nothing like it was now. Only, I wasn't in complete pain, not in complete emptiness. I found love, friends and a life for myself it was all of these dark secrets that push that away.

Oliver, with his blinding white powers, tore through my unconsciousness and appeared in front of me on an empty plane.

"Eris is going to start wondering about this little detour," Oliver said, his voice trying to sound light.

"I know," I groaned. It was only a matter of time now… And I still wasn't sure what I was going to tell her, or Jack, as he was set on finding Mengele when I needed to find the Lasser Glass.

"You may have been able to fool her about your bargain with Pitch, but she won't be fooled again," he warned, his eyes darkening as he continued. "I've been thinking about how you can do this, and I think you should tell Jack."

"Are you crazy?" I exclaimed, "there's no way I'm telling Jack."

"Why not?" Oliver said, firmly. "It would keep Eris from questioning you, plus keep you from drowning in self-guilt because you're lying to Jack."

I tried not to let the comment bother me, but in the moment I glared at him. "I'm not drowning, I can handle this."

Oliver noticed my short temperament, then softened his tone, "I'm not saying you need to tell him everything, but you should tell him some parts of the truth."

Patiently, I waited for him to continue. "Eris thinks that you're working with Pitch to find a way to free them. Then, make her believe that the Lasser Glass is a way for her to be free."

I was speechless, it was so brilliant, so obvious, I had never thought of it. Of course I should make Eris believe the mirror would help her, there would be no way she could confirm, and perhaps she even knew about the Lasser Glass origins to help us find it.

Just as I was about to open my mouth, to thank Oliver, the world flashed as someone gently woke me up.

"Hiccup," Jack stared at me, opening up the door and letting the light bleed in. I squinted at the brightness of it, "Is everything okay? Our train is here."

I moved him closer into me, practically sitting him on my lap. There was a thrumming between us, not sure if it was the pounding of my heart from being near him, or the rushing of my dark powers.

The golden amulet burned within my pocket, and I immediately pulled back on that veil of darkness. Holding Jack, I realized I didn't want to be torn from him. Didn't want us to be separated when I needed him so much. Oliver's plan was ringing over and over again in my ears, in my head…

I could tell Jack, I could tell Jack. It was something I had yearned to finally tell him, to tell him any bit of the truth. So many words came to me, so fast and all at once. I couldn't figure out how to start, how to make it any lesser of a betrayal than it was.

Slowly, I breathed in.

"I know about your curse," I said. When he frowned, I continued, "and I know how to break it."

This was the start of our journey together. Eris would have no idea what hit her.

Behind my glamour, my tattoo from Pitch remained hidden from the world. It was my true alliance, despite everything going on between me and the Death God. I couldn't focus on that for now, only that he was willing to help me pursue my own reckless dreams.

No longer would I play her games, or let her confuse Jack and I further. If I dared, I could be stronger than her. If I dreamed, I could find a way to defeat her.

If I was brave, I - we, Jack and I - could take her on.

Eris wasn't going to win.

^.^

 **Authors Notes:**

How much will Hiccup tell Jack and will it be enough to convince Eris that his intentions are true?

What of the shadows that Mengele can control? Will he find them before Hiccup can find the mirror?

Plus, I'm curious to know how the amulet will take to Jack and more about his powers...

Find out in the newest series to come: Heir of Darkness.

It will be uploaded on AUGUST 14!

Thank you for all of your continued support through this! It was a great start for an epic journey that will only get better, I promise you!


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